Increasing Prevalence of Overweight & Obesity

During the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30% of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older are obese. That’s over 60 million people.

This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6–19 years, 16%, or over 9 million young people are considered overweight.

These increasing rates raise concern because of their implications for Americans’ health. Poor diet and physical inactivity, resulting in an energy imbalance (more calories consumed than expended), are the most important factors contributing to the increase in overweight and obesity in this country. And the most current data indicate the situation is getting worse.

Furthermore, major causes of poor health, illness, and even death can be related to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. Related illnesses include coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, anemia, and some cancers.

There is overwhelming evidence that most Americans should eat fewer calories, be more active, and make wiser food choices. Improving nutrition and dietary habits, coupled with a more active lifestyle, can promote good health, remove harmful weight, and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.

There is a wealth of information on steps we can take to reverse the trends of recent years, and vastly improve our diet, plus increase our physical activity to healthy levels. One of those sources is the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Based on extensive research and study, this document provides some key recommendations.

A brief look at areas to focus on include the following:

Nutrition

Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting balanced eating habits.
Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups. (Nutrient-dense foods are those foods that provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively few calories).
Eat more dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat milk and milk products.
Eat less refined grains and total fats (especially cholesterol, and saturated and trans fats). Also choose foods that limit the intake of added sugars, salt, and alcohol.

Weight Management

To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
Again, focus on choosing nutrient dense foods that provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals, yet relatively few fats and calories.

Foods that are low in nutrient density are foods that supply calories but relatively small amounts of micronutrients, sometimes none at all. The greater the consumption of foods or beverages that are low in nutrient density, the more difficult it is to consume enough nutrients without gaining weight, especially for sedentary individuals. The consumption of added sugars, saturated and trans fats, and alcohol provides calories while providing little, if any, of the essential nutrients.
Selecting low-fat forms of foods in each group and forms free of added sugars (i.e. nutrient dense foods), provides individuals a way to meet their nutrient needs while avoiding the over-consumption of calories and saturated fats. Most people will exceed calorie recommendations if they consistently choose higher fat foods within the food groups—even if they do not have dessert, sweetened beverages, or alcoholic beverages.

Special Considerations

People over age 50. Consume vitamin B12 by eating foods fortified with vitamin B12 such as fortified cereals, or by taking the crystalline form of vitamin B12 supplements.
Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. Eat foods high in heme-iron (e.g., meats) and/or consume iron-rich plant foods (e.g., spinach) or iron-fortified foods with an enhancer of iron absorption, such as foods rich in vitamin C (e.g., orange juice).
Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy. A daily intake of 400 µg/day (600 µg/day if pregnant) of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet.
Older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient ultraviolet band radiation (i.e., sunlight). Consume extra vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.

Physical Activity

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in 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.

Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Food Choices

Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Fats

Fats and oils are part of a healthful diet, but the type of fat makes a difference to heart health, and the total amount of fat consumed is also important.

High intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol increases the risk of unhealthy blood lipid levels, which in turn may increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Carbohydrates

Eat plenty of foods in the basic food groups that provide carbohydrates. These include fruits, vegetables, grains, & milk, which are important sources of many nutrients.

Choosing plenty of these foods often (especially those fiber-rich fruits & vegetables, and whole grains), within the context of a calorie-controlled diet, can promote health and reduce chronic disease risk.
Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little, if any, added sugars or caloric sweeteners.

Sodium & Potassium

Nearly all Americans consume substantially more salt (sodium chloride) than they need. Decreasing salt intake is advisable to reduce the risk of elevated blood pressure.

Keeping blood pressure in the normal range reduces an individual’s risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.

Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of salt) of sodium per day.
Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as bananas and other fruits & vegetables.

Alcohol

Alcohol may have beneficial effects when consumed in moderation, however it is not recommended that anyone begin drinking or drink more frequently on the basis of health considerations.

In middle-aged and older adults, a daily intake of one to two alcoholic beverages per day is associated with the lowest mortality. In contrast, among younger adults alcohol consumption appears to provide little, if any, health benefit, and alcohol use among young adults is associated with a higher risk of traumatic injury and death. Also, overall morbidity and mortality are highest among those drinking large amounts of alcohol.
Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation. This is defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Healthy Now For Life