Information provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, N.Y. (585) 461-1000

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Since 1980, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have jointly published The Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines are updated every 5 years. A panel of nutrition and health experts form an advisory committee to review the scientific and medical knowledge current at the time. The guidelines are updated based on the expert panel's recommendations.

The purpose of The Dietary Guidelines is to provide a basis for federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. Specifically, The Guidelines provide advice for healthy Americans, age 2 years and over, about food choices and physical activity that promote health and prevent disease.

The focus of the 2000 Dietary Guidelines are essentially the ABC's of good nutrition and lifestyle practices for your health and that of your family:

• A - "Aim for Fitness"
• B - "Build a Healthy Base"
• C - "Choose Sensibly"

Let's look at each area more closely. Aim for Fitness has two main goals: to achieve a healthy weight and to be physically active each day. These goals can be achieved by:

• Balancing the calories you eat with physical activity.
• Get moving by making physical activity part of your daily routine.
• Choose foods and amounts of food according to the Food Guide Pyramid.
• Set a good example for children. Eat healthy meals and enjoy regular physical activities together. It is recommended adults participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most, preferably all, days of the week. Children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

Build a Healthy Base has four main goals:

1. Let the Pyramid guide your food choices,
2. Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains,
3. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, and
4. Keep food safe to eat.

Letting the Pyramid guide your food choices will help you achieve the first three goals. The Pyramid's foods are arranged so that plant foods provide the foundation to your meals. Include plenty of whole grains in your diet and eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Low-fat food choices should be encouraged especially from the dairy and meat group. In order to keep food safe to eat the following guidelines are recommended:

• Wash hands and food surfaces often.
• Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing.
• Cook foods to a safe temperature.
• Refrigerate perishable foods promptly.
• Check and follow the food label.
• When in doubt, throw it out!

Choose Sensibly has four main goals:

• Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat.
• Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars.
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

To achieve these recommendations, the Nutrition Facts Food Label should be reviewed for fat, sodium and sugar content. Limit your use of solid fats, such as butter and hard margarines. Use vegetable oils as a substitute. Choose fat-free or low-fat types of milk products, and lean meats. Eat more cooked dry beans and peas and fish more often. To reduce your sugar intake limit your intake of regular soft drinks, fruit punches, fruit drinks, desserts and candy. Choosing and preparing foods with less salt requires closely looking at the food labels for sodium content. Approximately 75% of an average American's sodium intake comes from processed foods. Using herbs to season foods can also help you achieve a lower sodium intake.

Lastly moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages is defined as one drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.

To view and download a copy of the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 5^th Edition visit the USDA website:www.usda.gov/cnpp. Single copies of the guidelines can also be purchased (for $.50 each) by calling the Federal Consumer Information Center toll-free at 888-878-3256.