Most people (and certainly those reading this newsletter) want to know what’s the best way to maintain their health. What to eat, what to limit or avoid, and how much to eat are key questions. It seems like there is always a new “diet” that promises to help us lose excess weight; get blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels down; and/or stay active, vibrant, and sharp as we age. The best of these plans may help some people make permanent, health-promoting lifestyle changes, but some are so restrictive they can only be followed for a short time, and therefore offer only short-term results—and they may not actually be good for us. Some are built on misinterpretation of scientific research or down-right lies. And some are so extreme as to be dangerous. But there is solid, science-backed guidance we can turn to.
While the traditional diets eaten in the Mediterranean region and countries including Denmark and Japan have been studied for their association to health and longevity, the habitual diet in the U.S. is not exactly known for its healthfulness. It is, however, possible to build a healthy dietary pattern based on the types of foods typically eaten in the United States. In fact, such a dietary pattern exists. It’s called the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern. It’s not sexy or touted by a celebrity spokesperson. It’s simply smart, straightforward, realistic, and based on decades of nutrition research. Interested? Read on!
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Every five years since 1980, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services have convened a group of experts to review the latest nutrition research and update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The DGA provide evidence-based recommendations on what Americans of every age should eat and drink to meet their nutritional needs and reduce their risk for diet-related chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Rather than focus on specific nutrients or foods, the DGA are based on the concept of a “dietary pattern”—the combination of foods and beverages consumed over time. “It is our overall dietary intake that is associated with health,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, lead scientist of the Diet & Chronic Disease Prevention directive at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and editor-in-chief of this newsletter, “not how much of a nutrient supplement we take or how many ‘superfoods’ we eat.”
The tools available at MyPlate.gov can help you build your own healthy dietary pattern.
You may not have heard of the DGA, but you have likely been exposed to them. They form the basis of all federal food, nutrition, and health policies and programs, including which nutrients appear on the nutrition facts labels on packaged foods (see page 1). MyPlate, the graphic nutrition guidance that replaced the food pyramid in 2011, is also based on the DGA. (Check out MyPlate.gov and the free MyPlate app for detailed information and resources, like a chance to make a personalized eating plan, recipes, and a tool for finding deals on healthy foods in your area!)
Health Dietary Patterns. Unlike prescribed “diets,” dietary patterns are flexible and can be adapted to your personal likes, dislikes, cultural norms, financial circumstances, and health needs. They provide an outline, and you get to color it in.
The DGA suggest three dietary patterns that, when followed, ensure you meet all your nutrient needs without exceeding your calorie requirements: the Healthy Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern, Healthy Vegetarian Pattern, and Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet also aligns with DGA recommendations. “Individuals can also mix, match, and come up with a dietary pattern that syncs with their personal likes and lifestyle,” says Lichtenstein.
According to the DGA, “the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern is based on the types and proportions of foods Americans typically consume but in nutrient-dense forms and appropriate amounts.” (Nutrient- dense foods are high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients per calorie, and low in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium.) Like other healthy dietary patterns, the Healthy U.S.-Style pattern limits sources of added sugars and refined starches and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and fat-free dairy, healthy fats (like those from non-tropical plant oils and avocados), fish/seafood, beans, peas, and lentils, and unprocessed poultry and lean meats.
Making Choices. We’ve included a chart that summarizes daily serving recommendations in the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern for three different calorie categories. Consuming the amount of food recommended in each food group in your calorie range will allow you to meet your nutrient needs while not exceeding your calorie requirement. You will also stay within recommended limits for dietary components that tend to be overconsumed in the American diet, such as added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. “Trying to stick to these exact recommendations is not expected,” says Lichtenstein. “They are meant to be a general guide. No one is suggesting people measure all their food and plan their dietary intake at such a micro level. In fact, such tight control is unlikely to be good for long term compliance, or for one’s mental health.”
Use the serving recommendations as a guide. For example: if you see it’s recommended you get two cup-equivalents of fruit a day, ask yourself, “do I eat fruit twice a day?” If you’re not getting enough of that or any other category, consider how you could conveniently add a serving in place of a less nutrient-dense option. Perhaps bringing a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack could take the place of hitting the vending machine. Maybe baby carrots dipped in nut or seed butter or ranch dressing would satisfy the urge for salty-crunchy chips. If you tend to get more than the recommended grain servings (particularly refined grains) and too few veggies, up the veggies on your dinner plate and reduce the starch serving. If you seem to be exceeding your servings in general, cutting your portion sizes may be in order.
➧ Think “Dietary Pattern.” Healthy dietary intake is about everything you eat and drink over time. Each shift you make to a better choice is beneficial.
➧ Use MyPlate. MyPlate.gov and the free MyPlate app provide information and tools to help you make consuming a healthy dietary pattern a part of your everyday life.
➧ Don’t Stress. You don’t have to be perfect to benefit from dietary changes. Measuring, calculating, and counting everything you eat can take the joy out of eating and create unnecessary anxiety.
“It’s important to understand that every day does not have to be a perfect day, foodwise” Lichtenstein says. “That’s part of the beauty of the ‘dietary pattern’ concept: it’s about the totality of habitual choices we make over time. Our food intake varies depending on our schedule, social activities, availability, and many other factors. Dietary patterns like the Healthy U.S.-Style pattern are there to guide us toward the best decisions within the realities we face.”