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U.S. to unveil new dietary guidelines next week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New dietary guidelines spelling out
which foods Americans should eat and how much they should
exercise to stay healthy will be issued by the federal
government in the next few days, an Agriculture Department
official said Thursday.
The guidelines, which are revised every five years, are
widely used by physicians, foodmakers and educators. They also
form the basis of the well-known USDA food pyramid used to teach
healthy eating habits based on food groups such as grains,
vegetables and fats.
The final version will be unveiled next week at a national
nutrition summit sponsored by the federal government, said
Eileen Kennedy, deputy undersecretary for research and education
at the U.S. Agriculture Department.
A draft of the proposed guidelines released in February was
criticized by the U.S. sugar industry, which said the nutrition
recommendations took a harsh stand against sugar.
Kennedy refused to say if the final guidelines would take a
more relaxed position on sugar, or if there would be any other
changes from the draft version.
The USDA's plan to revise the dietary guidelines set off a
stampede more than a year ago among various trade groups
representing sugar, meat, grains, dairy, fruits and other foods.
Many hoped to persuade the USDA panel of nutritionists and
health experts to rewrite the document to favor their industry's
interests.
The Grocery Manufacturers of America, which represents makers
of some of the nation's best-known packaged foods, said it was
most important to have new guidelines that emphasize exercise
and moderation in eating habits.
"Attacking specific nutrients in the food supply does
nothing to improve the health of the American people," said
Lisa Katic, a dietitican with the grocery group.
"In the 1970s, the target was sugar. In the 1980s, it was
cholesterol. In the 1990s, the enemy was fat," Katic said.
"Now the food police are targeting sugar again."
The USDA aims to make the new document more "user-friendly"
for consumers to incorporate better nutrition into daily life.
"They're specific in thinking about actual steps and taking
the science of the guidelines and making them meaningful in
individual lives," Kennedy told reporters.
The draft version of the guidelines offered 10 key points,
three more than the existing dietary guidelines. The new items
included in the proposal highlight steps for consumers to keep
food safe to eat, and a greater emphasis on controlling weight
through exercise.
More than 18 percent of Americans are obese, meaning they
are at least 30 percent overweight, according to federal health
data. That is up sharply from 1991, when 12 percent were obese.
The 10 guidelines in the draft dietary guidelines earlier
this year were:
Aim for a healthy weight
Become physically active each day.
Let the (Food Guide) Pyramid guide your food choices.
Eat a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.
Keep food safe to eat.
Choose beverages and foods that limit intake of sugars.
Choose and prepare foods with less salt.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Choose a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and
moderate in total fat.
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United States Department of Agriculture
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