Articles On Dietary Guidelines

The American Heart Association first proposed in 1957 that modifying fat intake could reduce coronary heart disease. Since then, the AHA has issued seven statements on diet and heart disease as new evidence became available. These statements emphasized total fat, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, dietary cholesterol, sodium, and later excessive alcohol intake due to their effects on heart disease risk. This knowledge has led other health organizations and the federal government to make similar dietary recommendations.

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Articles On Dietary Guidelines

Uploaded by

Amirul Syafiq

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Dietary guidelines

In 1957 the American Heart Association proposed that modification of dietary fat intake would

reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), which had become the leading cause of

disability and death in the United States and other industrialized countries. Since then the AHA has

issued seven policy statements on diet and CHD as reliable new information has become

available. In each of these statements emphasis was placed on consumption of total fat, saturated

and certain unsaturated fatty acids, dietary cholesterol, and sodium because of their significant

contribution to risk of CHD. Later, excessive alcohol intake was considered because of its

association with hypertension, stroke, and other diseases. Such knowledge has encouraged other

health organizations and the federal government to make similar recommendations.

Dietary guidelines for americans

• Eat a variety of foods.

The AHA strongly endorses consumption of a variety of foods and believes that all

dietary recommendations should enable individuals to adopt eating patterns consistent

with their own lifestyles and that will supply the calories, protein, essential fatty acids,

carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber needed for good health. This pattern can

be achieved by eating foods from all the food groups, including fruits and vegetables;

nonfat and low-fat dairy products; whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, starchy

vegetables, and beans; and lean meat, skinless poultry, and fish. The AHA recommends

that healthy individuals obtain an adequate nutrient intake from foods eaten in variety,

balance, and moderation. Vitamin and mineral supplements are not a substitute for a

balanced and nutritious diet designed to emphasize intake of fruits, vegetables, and

whole-grain foods. Excessive intake of calories, sugar, and salt should be avoided.

• Balance food intake with physical activity and maintain or reduce weight.

Loss of excess weight and long-term maintenance of a healthy weight can improve

blood lipid levels and blood pressure and reduce risk for heart disease, the most

common form of diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers. In many individuals with
increased abdominal or visceral fat, even modest weight reduction may result in

improvement in many metabolic CHD risk factors, particularly those associated with

insulin resistance, including low HDL level, elevated triglyceride level, and small