For years leading health authorities have advocated changing the focus of healthcare from a reactive approach, i.e. treatment of diseases, to a preventive mode of preventing chronic diseases in the first place. Although some progress has been made, a lot more can be done. If surveyed, most Americans, if not all, would say they want to lead long, healthy and productive lives. In order to achieve these goals, we need to take some steps to make it happen.
Recently, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first edition of the guidelines was published in 1980 and, by law, are reviewed and updated every five years. The guidelines are advice, reflecting science based evidence, and are intended for healthy Americans 2 years of age and older.
The 2010 Guidelines consist of 23 key recommendations for the general public and 6 recommendations for specific populations groups such as for women who are capable of becoming pregnant, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and individuals ages 50 years and older. One of the recommendations that has received considerable media attention is the advice to reduce the amount of sodium to 1500mgs among persons 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Perhaps just as important for all Americans are the recommendations directed toward achieving and sustaining appropriate body weight throughout the lifespan. Maintaining a healthy body weight and preventing excess weight gain throughout life is preferable to losing weight after weight gain. At this point in time, we are facing an epidemic of overweight and obesity issues in the United States. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is true for all age groups, including children, adolescents and adults.
How large of a problem is this? The most recent data indicate that 72 percent of men and 64 percent of women are overweight or obese, with about one-third of adults being obese. Furthermore, in 2007-2008, the prevalence of obesity reached 10 percent for children ages 2 to 5 years, 20 percent for children ages 6 to 11 years, and 18 percent for adolescents ages 12 to 19 years.
As the guidelines point out, this weight issue is of concern because individuals who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of many health problems. Type 2 diabetes (Obesity is present in 80-90 percent of individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes), heart disease, and certain types of cancer are among conditions most often associated with obesity. These increased health risks are not limited to adults. Weight-associated diseases and conditions are now being seen in children and adolescents; these include high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Because of the health risks associated with obesity, it has predicted that these children will not live as long as they may have without the excess weight. The same holds true for adults.
How to solve a problem? Sometimes it helps to look at what caused it. According to the Guidelines, poor diet and physical inactivity are the most important factors contributing to the excess weight epidemic. Change is not easy, but is something that has increased in our lives. Making changes in your food choices can make a difference in your weight over time. Consider the following:
- Control portion size. Research conducted by Dr. Barbara Rolls at Penn State has shown that when larger portions are served, people tend to consume more calories. According to Rolls, “pretty much everyone is susceptible to the influence of portion size, it is not increased portion size that is contributing to the American obesity epidemic but rather eating large portions of high calorie, high fat foods.”
She suggests that “large portions of foods low in calories and fat such as vegetables, fruit and broth based soups can aid in weight management by providing satisfying portions with few calories.”
- Select nutrient dense foods. Make most of your food choices during the day nutrient dense. Nutrient-dense foods and beverages provide vitamins, minerals and other substances that may have positive health benefits with relatively few calories. For example, all vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and 1 percent milk and milk products, and lean meats and poultry – when prepared without adding solid fats or sugars – are nutrient dense foods.
- Choose whole grain products. Replace white bread and pasta with whole grain.
Aim for at least 3 ounces of whole grains daily. What is a whole grain? Whole grains include the entire grain seed, usually called the kernel. The kernel consists of the bran, germ and the endosperm. Whole grains are consumed either as a single food (i.e. wild rice or pop corn) or as an ingredient in foods (such as breakfast cereals, pasta or breads). Examples of whole grain ingredients include buckwheat, bulgur, millet, oatmeal, rolled oats, brown or wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, and whole wheat. To make sure you are getting a whole grain product, check the first ingredient of the ingredient listing to see if a whole grain is listed there. One last thought regarding whole grains, try to include a variety of whole grains not just wheat.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks. As the prevalence of obesity among children and adults has risen over the past four decades, so has the consumption of added sugars and especially high fructose corn syrup, the energy-dense liquid sugar added to soft drinks. According to one estimate, the risk of obesity increase by 60 percent with each sugared soft drink consumed daily.
- Limit the amount of television viewing. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television viewing before 2 years of age and thereafter limits television and video time to two hours a day as a strategy to help prevent childhood obesity. A study done at the University of Vermont found that limiting the amount of viewing time for adults to 2.5 hours burned an average of 120 more calories a day. The time not spent watching the TV was used to clean the house, walk the dog, play with their children, attend a yoga class. This small change could result in a weight loss of 10 or more pounds in a year.
In closing, the goal of living a long, healthy, productive life is possible because you are motivated to make changes today. Home has been said to be where the heart; moreover, it can now be where you put preventive medicine to work for you.
Additional resources to check out include:
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s website on Portion Distortion
MyPyramid.gov – a very user friendly website that will help you track your diet
American Heart Association – Life’s Simple 7 program
Dietary Guidelines for Americans – additional information for you to read
The Women’s Health Task Force of Clearfield County meets the first Thursday of each month. The next meeting is March 3, noon, at Children’s Aid Society, 1008 S. Second St. in Clearfield. All interested persons are invited to attend.
Mary E. Walker, RD, LDN, Instructor, Penn State DuBois