By Carleton Rivers, RD, LD
Adulthood spans many stages, from the college years to marriage to early parenthood and beyond. A person’s nutritional status through each stage will play a role in their quality of life and possibly their family’s quality of life as well. This article provides nutritional information including helpful resources and simple changes that can make a large impact on the health of any individual.
Standards for a Healthy Diet
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have created a set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans that is updated every five years. The Guidelines are intended to encourage Americans to consume a healthy diet that will help promote health, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and prevent disease.
The two main concepts of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are:
- Maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight.
- Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages.
Get started today by following these quick steps outlined by ChooseMyPlate.gov on how to balance calories while increasing good and decreasing bad food intake.
Balancing Calories | Foods to Increase | Foods to Reduce |
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