2005 Dietary Guidelines
Updated every 5 years, the guidelines are a co-operation between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). These aim of the guidelines is to promote information on good dietary habits for improved health and reduced risk for major chronic diseases. The guidelines also form the basis for the updated Food Guide Pyramid (opens up a new window) that will be released later. In fact, according to Atkins Physicians Council (ACP), which promotes their own version of the pyramid (the Atkins Food Guide Pyramid) (opens up a new window), there may be more than one version of the upcoming Food Guide Pyramid. According to the ACP, USDA may be developing as many as 12 new versions of the existing Food Guide Pyramid, of which just one may be published. 2005 Dietary Guidelines RecommendationsThe 2005 Guidelines report identifies 41 key recommendations for diets, of which 23 are for the general public and 18 for special populations. These recommendations are grouped into nine general topics:
If you are familiar with the old, 2000 version of the Guidelines, you'll notice some changes in the updated 2005, sixth edition of the Guidelines. Overall, the 2005 Guidelines places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. 2005 Dietary Guidelines Physical Activity RecommendationsThe changes in the recommendations for daily exercise reflect the requirements of the physical fitness pillars of President Bush's HealthierUS Initiative. The minimum recommended physical activity (for adults) is at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week. However, to help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood, the recommendation is for approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. In addition, to sustain weight loss, the recommendation is for at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity. 2005 Dietary Guidelines vs 2000 Dietary GuidelinesIn addition to the changed recommendations for physical activity, you'll also notice other changes in the recommendations from the 2000 version. The old Guidelines placed more emphasis on dietary habits to keep healthy weight according to BMI (Body Mass Index). In the new version, the recommendations for physical activity are taken into account. The overall recommendation now is to balance calories between the amount you eat and the amount of energy you burn. For carbohydrate intake, the new Guidelines recommend choosing and preparing foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan. In this regard, the updated version is more specific than the old guidelines that recommended moderation. Similarly, the new Guidelines concerning fat intake are more specific. The recommendation for total fat intake is between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Also, the new recommendations are to consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and consuming less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keeping trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible. You can download the full PDF document directly from USDA for 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (opens up a new window). |