Healthy eating should last a lifetime
Healthy eating through all phases of life is important to overall health, and food choices are cumulative, so make every bite count through the course of a lifetime.
That's the message gleaned from the latest federal dietary guidelines, which encourage people to eat healthy over their lifetime, be flexible in how they eat and reduce the empty calories they consume.
"The high prevalence of diabetes, cancer and heart disease could be reduced if people ate better," said Judith Wylie-Rosett, a professor of health promotion and nutrition research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. "Chronic diseases are often related to obesity and poor nutritional habits."
For the first time, the guidelines outline recommendations "by life stage, from birth through older adulthood." For example, babies should exclusively have breast milk for the first six months of life. If breastfeeding isn't an option, babies should be fed an iron-fortified infant formula.
In addition, the guidelines recognize that people 60 and older have slightly different nutritional needs. For instance, vitamin B12 deficiencies are more common in older people because the ability to absorb the nutrient naturally decreases with age, but also can decrease because of certain medications. So, older adults are urged to eat the recommended amount of protein, a common source of B12, as well as B12-fortified foods.
In another departure from past practice, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans account for different cultural traditions, personal tastes and budgets in formulating recommendations.
"Tailoring the message engages people in making choices, which means it is more likely they will be able to make changes," Wylie-Rosett said. "We need to respect and address the needs of the diversity within our society."
The guidelines target empty calories in the form of added sugars and alcohol.
"Sugar and alcohol don't have any nutrition whatsoever," said Penny Kris-Etherton, a distinguished professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University in University Park. Sugar is often added to a variety of foods where you might not expect it, including bottled spaghetti sauce, ketchup, breads and cereals. It's important to read nutrition labels and select foods accordingly, she said.
The theme of the 164-page document is to "make every bite count." That means avoiding high-calorie junk foods such as potato chips, cookies and calorie-laden (and nutrient-poor) fast foods in favor of healthier options, Kris-Etherton said.
Think whole grains, fruits and vegetables; vegetable oils instead of butter or coconut oil; and low-fat dairy and leaner proteins.
The guidelines offer several ideas for making dishes healthier. For example, shave calories off a burrito bowl by using reduced-fat cheese and adding vegetables in place of some rice and beans. Choose brown rice instead of white rice to add fiber, which will help you feel full and more likely to skip dessert.
"When you fill up on all the right foods, you don't want the other foods, because you're full and satisfied," Kris-Etherton said, and the benefits multiply. People will likely sleep better, be less stressed and have more energy to exercise.
"It just goes on and on," she said. "Good nutrition really helps with overall well-being."
