USDA Dietary Guidelines Recommends Lowering of Salt, Sugar and Saturated Fats Intake

New guidelines have been issued by the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday to help improve the nation’s diet, however the main suggestions were something that have largely been ignored by Americans over time. The guidelines recommended that Americans ought to increase their fruits and vegetable intake and reduce the intake of salt, sugar and saturated fats (time to put a healthier drink in your cup holder).

The vision of these dietary guidelines for the American population is not much different from what it was almost 30 years ago. What has changed though is the urgency associated to the guidelines even as mounting evidence shows how obesity, overweight and a stagnating lifestyle is largely leading to increased medical costs and diseases in the country. Margo Wootan who is the policy director for nutrition at the Center for Science in Public Interest, feels that the advice is still the same although there is a realization that it is harder for people to follow the dietary guidelines. The new recommendations reflect the increased cost and severity of the problem related to diet.

The average American consumes 3400 mg of salt daily resulting in strokes, heart diseases and other ailments that lead to billions of dollars in medical accessories and expenses. A lower figure of 1500 – 2300 mg has been recommended for those who have problems with high blood pressure, African Americans in general and middle aged and older people of all races. These groups consist of more than 70% of the American population which caused the committee to extend the recommendation to the entire population.

The lower intake of salt which has been recommended by the committee is also on the lines of recommendations if Institute of Medicine made in April on the back of a request from the Food and Drug Administration to food and beverage makers to cut down upon the amount of salt in products. A committee of 13 health and nutrition experts has recently requested the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national level strategy that will help provide more education on nutrition.

The panel has called for more literacy on nutrition and using healthy ways of cooking for better food prepared at home. It also recommended more fresh products to be made available to the population and nutrition along with physical education and health should be given the same priority. The document with dietary guidelines also touches upon issues related to regulations of food marketing to children.

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