Eating well is easy in theory. All you have to do is

choose a selection of food that supplies appropriate

amount of the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy

without excess intake of fat, sugar, and salt, and be

sure to get enough exercise to balance the food you

eat. A few people do these things automatically, but

most do not.

Nutrition Tools

Standards and Guidelines

Nutrient recommendations

Nutrient recommendations are sets of

yardsticks used as standards for

measuring healthy people’s energy and

nutrient intakes.

For 50 years, the Recommended Dietary

Allowances (RDA) have been the U.S. nutrient

intake standards; in Canada their equivalents

were the Recommended Nutrient Intakes

(RNI) for Canadians .Today, both of these

standards are being replaced by the Dietary

Reference Intakes (DRI).

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

Formerly, the name of the nutrient intake

standards of the United States. Currently, the

RDA constitute a part of the Dietary Reference

Intakes (DRI). RDA are average daily amounts

of nutrients considered adequate to meet the

known nutrients needs of practically all

healthy people.

Dietary Reference Intakes

A set of nutrient intake values for the dietary

nutrient intakes of healthy people in the United States

and Canada. These values are used for planning and

assessing diets and include these four lists of values:

1. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)

Population-wide average nutrient requirements used

in nutrition research and policy-making. The basis

upon which RDA values are set.

2.Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

Nutrient intake goals for individuals. Derived from the Estimate Average Requirements (see below).

3.Adequate Intakes (AI)

Nutrient intake goals for individuals. Set whenever scientific data are insufficient to allow establishment of an RDA value.

4.Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)

Suggested upper limits of intake for potential toxic nutrients. Intake above the UL are likely to cause illness from toxicity.

Daily Value (DV)

Nutrient standards used on food labels, in

grocery stores, and on some restaurant menus.

The DV allow comparisons among foods with

regard to their nutrient content.

Why do we need new standards ?Why do we need new standards ?

One of the great advantages of the DRI values

recommended intakes lies in their applicability to

individuals. In the past, nutrient standards were

appropriate for planning and assessing the diets of

populations; their developers discouraged their use

for individuals. In contrast, individuals are prime

concern of the DRI committee.

1: setting intake Recommendations for individuals

Another advantages of the DRI is that they set the

recommended intakes to take into account disease

prevention, where appropriate ,as well as nutrient

adequacy. In the last decade , abundant new research

has linked nutrients in the diet with the promotion of

health and the prevention of chronic diseases, and the

DRI committee used this research to advantage.

2:Preventing Chronic Diseases

Another set of values established by the DRI committee

accomplishes other important tasks. This set ,the

Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), establishes

population-wide average requirements that researchers

and nutrition policymaker use in their work. Nutrition

scientists

may use the ERA as standards in research. Public health

officials may also use them to assess nutrient intakes of

populations and make recommendations.

3: Facilitating nutrition research and policy

A final goal of the DRI committee is to establish upper

limits of intake for nutrients that can pose a hazard when

they are overconsumed. These value ,the Tolerable Upper

Intake Limits (UL) ,are indispensable to consumers who

take supplements or eat foods to which vitamins or

minerals are added.

4: Establishing safety guidelines

Dietary Guidelines

Nutrient intake recommendations do much to ensure

nutrient adequacy, they do little for moderation.

Nutrient recommendations address intakes of protein,

vitamins, and mineral, they also make some general

statements about energy intakes, but they do little to

protect people from excess intake of fat, sugar, salt,

and other food constituents believed to be related to

chronic diseases.

why do we need “guidelines”?“

Guidelines take up where nutrient recommendations

leave off, and they go a step further in recommending

physical activity to improve or maintain body weight.

The DRI refer to nutrients, not foods. Guidelines

specify healthful uses of foods and nutrients because

many people need guidance in selecting the foods

they consume each day.

Guidelines may be to revise

Linking Nutrients, Foods, and Health

Adequacy

Balance

Calorie Control

Moderation

Variety

How the experts make a judgement for food How the experts make a judgement for food nutrition valuenutrition value

Eat a variety of foods.

Balance the food you eat with physical

activity—maintain or improve your weight.

Choose a diet with plenty of grain

products ,vegetables, and fruit.

Choose a diet moderate in sugars.

Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium.

If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderate

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2000)

Aim for Fitness

Aim for a healthy weight

Be physically active each day

Build a Healthy Base

Let the Pyramid guide your food choices

Choose a variety of grains daily

Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables

daily

Keep food safe to eat

Choose Sensibly

Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and

cholesterol, and moderate in total fat

Choose beverages and foods to moderate your

intake of sugars

Choose and prepare foods with less salt

If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in

moderation

China Food Guide Food Guide ((pagoda)5. 油脂类 25 克

4. 奶类及奶制品 100 克 豆类及豆制品 50 克

3. 畜禽肉类 50~100 克 鱼虾 50 克、蛋类 25~50 克

2. 蔬菜类 400~500 克、 水果类 100~200 克

1. 谷类 300~500 克

Britain Britain

Food Food

GuideGuide

Mediterranean Pyramid Mediterranean Pyramid ComparedCompared

Notice that these guidelines do

not require that you give up

your favorite foods or eat

strange, unappealing

foods .Almost anyone’s diet

adjustments ,can fit most of

these recommendations .

The secret for most people

seems to be to modify the diet

in four ways.

Dietary guideline allow you to

choose foods that you enjoy.

First, learn to watch portion sizes, especially of fat-rich

foods such as high-fat meats, dairy products, and

desserts.

Second, strictly limit a few foods, especially pure fats

and sugar, such as margarine and sugary soft drinks.

Third, make substitutions, such as fat-free or low-fat for

high-fat dairy products.

Finally, eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Our watchword is reasonable nutrition and balanced diet

How much activity do you need?

Research on health and physical activity leads to a single conclusion: people need exercise as well as nutrition to stay and live long.

Many groups make recommendations about how much physical activity is enough, but answer for any one people depends on personal goals.

Diet Planning with the Daily Food

guide and the Food guide Pyramid

Diet planning connects nutrition with the food on the

table .To help people plan menus, food group plans

describe food groups and dictate numbers and sizes of

servings to choose each day. Another planning tool, the

exchange system, can help people estimate the amounts

of carbohydrate, fat ,protein and energy that each type

of food provide.

By design, the Pyramid provides

guidance as to

Adequacy

Balance

Moderation

Variety

How can the Food Guide Pyramid help me to eat well?

Food Labels

Mandatory information on food labelsStatement of identityNet contents of the package Name and address of manufacturer,

packer, distributorList of ingredients

Listed in descending order by weight Nutrition information