For the study, researchers examined nutrition data on a
nationally-representative sample of 3,194 adults who were surveyed
about their eating habits between 2011 and 2014. Overall, just 731
participants, or about 23 percent, followed MyPlate dietary
guidelines or MyPyramid, an older version of these recommendations.
People who followed MyPlate or MyPyramid consumed fewer daily
calories (2,120 versus 2,333) on average and had diets higher in
whole grains and green vegetables and lower in fats and added sugars
than participants who didn't try to adhere to these dietary
guidelines.
"The dietary guidelines provide a user-friendly plan for people who
are interested in learning how to eat healthy," said study coauthor
Jacqueline Vernarelli of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield,
Connecticut.
"Unlike popular fad diets, the dietary guidelines for Americans are
evidence-based and created by a multidisciplinary team of scientific
experts," Vernarelli, who did the work at Fairfield University in
Connecticut, said by email. "Furthermore, they are designed
specifically to be flexible and able to be adapted to any budget,
taste preference, or genre of food."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Jan/17/images/ads/current/brickey_lda_061314.png)
More than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese,
increasing their risk of chronic health problems like diabetes and
heart disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
The now defunct online MyPyramid dietary tool helped people set
customized eating plans based on their age, sex and weight and
recommended ideal amounts of each food group. Its replacement,
MyPlate, offers visual cues for food-group portioning with sections
of a plate representing how much of each food group people should
consume. (https://www.choosemyplate.gov)
While some previous research suggests that tools like MyPlate and
MyPyramid have helped clinicians explain ideal eating habits to
patients, it's been less clear whether this translates into people
actually using these tools or how doing this might impact the
quality and quantity of foods people consume.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Jan/17/images/ads/current/graue_19_encore_010719.png)
In the current study, researchers asked participants to recall
everything they consumed over a 24-hour period. They also asked
whether people had heard of MyPlate or MyPyramid and had tried to
follow these guidelines. Among those who had heard of MyPlate, about
one third said they had tried to follow its individualized plan.
People who tried to follow these guidelines consumed an average of
78 grams of total fat and 24 grams of saturated fat a day, compared
with 88 grams of total fat and 28 grams of saturated fat, on
average, for participants who didn't follow guidelines. Saturated
fats in foods like red meat, butter and cheese are the "bad" kind
that can contribute to high cholesterol and weight gain.
Those who followed the guidelines also consumed fewer added sugars
on average: 18 teaspoons daily versus 21 teaspoons daily for people
who didn't follow guidelines. Added sugars can increase the risk of
diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Following guidelines was also associated eating more items like
whole grains and green, leafy vegetables, the researchers report in
the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Individuals who tried MyPlate or MyPyramid had an average of 1.1
ounces of whole grains and 0.2 cups of vegetables daily, compared
with 0.8 ounces of grains and 0.1 cups of veggies for people who
didn't follow the dietary guidelines.
The study wasn't designed to prove whether following the guidelines
might directly translate into a lower risk of disease. And most
people in the study still didn't meet daily recommended minimum
amounts for key food groups.
"It is not surprising that those who do use the dietary guidelines,
who may be people who have an interest in nutrition and health,
and/or use the dietary guidelines for educational purposes, consume
a healthier diet," said Samantha Heller, a nutritionist at NYU
Langone Health in New York City.
"The issue is how to get the information to the majority of
Americans in ways that are relatable, understandable and
actionable," Heller, who wasn't involved in the study, said by
email.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2TUbc1v Journal of the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics, online December 15, 2018.
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |