“Make Every Bite Count”: U.S. Dietary Guidelines now feature life stages
By TINA WILLIS
Guest Columnist
We all understand the importance of encouraging young children to make good food choices. We know if kids start eating a variety of healthy, nutrient-dense foods from the beginning of their lives, they will be more likely to make good food choices as they grow older.
This is exactly why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HSS) recently updated its Dietary Guidelines for Americans to now include dietary recommendations for children aged newborn to 23 months. For the first time ever, the new guidelines are now divided into life stages, even with nutrition guidance for pregnancy and lactation. Updates also touch on adults’ alcohol and sugar intake.
Every day, but especially in March – National Nutrition Month – I make a concerted effort to point bleeding and blood disorder patients to these guidelines as I educate them about the impact of diet and eating habits on their health outcomes. Healthy nutrition is critical to our patients’ success, but it’s important for everyone – even if otherwise healthy – to avoid potentially life-threatening, yet avoidable diseases like heart disease, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Newborn to 23 Months
- Soon after birth: Supplement with vitamin D
- For at least the first six months: Exclusively feed human milk or continue with (iron fortified) formula up to one year
- At six months: Introduce nutrient-dense foods
- Under age two: Avoid added sugars
- At 12 months and beyond: Meet nutrient needs with mostly foods rather than by supplements
- At age two: Fewer than 10 percent of calories should be from added sugars and saturated fat
- Less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day
Adults
Nutrient-dense foods and beverages should dominate adults’ diets. Less than 10 percent of calories should be from added sugars and saturated fat. Sodium intake should be less than 2,300 mg per day. An adult’s diet should include:
- Vegetables: All types and colors
- Fruit: Whole fruit as much as possible
- Grains: At least half of grains should be whole grain
- Dairy: Include fat-free or low-fat and/or lactose-free and fortified soy alternatives
- Proteins: Including lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, lentils and soy products
- Oils: Incorporate vegetable oils in to diet, as well as natural oils found in foods like sea foods and nuts
According to the guidelines, when it comes to alcohol, the less the better. For men of legal drinking age, alcohol intake should be limited to two drinks per day. Women should limit their intake to one drink per day. Pregnant women are among those adults who should not drink alcohol.
If you have questions about your diet and nutrition, talk to your healthcare provider for a referral to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. More information is also available at dietaryguidelines.gov.
Tina Willis is a registered dietitian at the Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center in Indianapolis.