In January, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005." New guidelines are issued by the HHS and USDA every five years, and since obesity in America is at an all time high, it seems they came just in the nick of time.

Among the new recommendations, the guidelines place a strong emphasis on fruit and vegetable consumption and recommend that consumers select "from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week." The guidelines also emphasize whole-grain consumption and recommend three cups of fat-free milk products per day.

Other recommendations include limiting sugar, sodium, and saturated and trans-fat intakes, and limiting alcohol consumption to one to two drinks a day. The overarching theme of the guidelines emphasizes selecting foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories.

"Considering the epidemic of obesity we face in our country, people need all the help they can get in understanding the relationships between food consumption, a healthy diet, physical fitness and good health," Susan H. Laramee, a registered dietitian and president of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), said in the press release.

The new guidelines will also direct the nation's policies for the next five years for government nutrition programs, including research, education, food assistance programs, labeling and nutrition promotion, the press release said.

For more information on nutrition, health and wellness, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.

References:

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Press release. What do 2005 dietary guidelines mean for Americans? American Dietetic Association. Jan 12, 2005. www.eatright.org.