Overall Eating Patterns Most Important For Healthful Eating

CHICAGOThe Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has published its newly updated position paper Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating," which stresses that moderation, portion size and exercise are the key concepts for balancing food and beverage intakes. The paper suggests the overall pattern of food that a person eats is more important to a healthy diet than focusing on single foods or individual nutrients.

According to the paper published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and In contrast to the total diet approach, classification of specific foods as good or bad is overly simplistic and may foster unhealthy eating behaviors. It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that the total diet or overall pattern of food eaten is the most important focus of healthy eating. All foods can fit within this pattern, if consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with physical activity. The Academy strives to communicate healthy eating messages that emphasize a balance of food and beverages within energy needs, rather than any one food or meal."

The position paper has been updated to reflect the most current nutrition guidance, such as the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDAs MyPlate food guidance system; the White Houses Lets Move! campaign to reduce childhood obesity and Healthy People 2020. Each of these public policies and dietary patterns supports the total diet approach.

The paper also noted while studies including the Academys Nutrition and You" national consumer survey show Americans are conscious of the importance of healthy diets and physical activity," most people do not meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines. For example, large majorities do not eat fruit (68%) or vegetables (74%) more than twice a day, and a substantial number (36%) engage in no leisure-time physical activity.

Labeling specific foods in an overly simplistic manner as good foods and bad foods is not only inconsistent with the total diet approach, but it may cause many people to abandon efforts to make dietary improvements," the paper noted.

The paper noted that in 2011, 82% of U.S. adults cited not wanting to give up foods they like as a reason for not eating healthier. For these reasons, the concepts of moderation and proportionality are necessary components of a practical, action-oriented understanding of the total diet approach.

The position paper also noted that the most recent Dietary Reference Intakes use a total diet approach because it allows for a broad range of foods to meet a persons nutrition needs over time. Therefore, a person can make diet choices based on individual preferences, genetic background, personal health status and food availability.

Updated sections of the position paper examine new indicators of nutrient quality, such as the Nutrient Rich Food Index, the European Union Nutrient Profiling System and the Overall Nutrient Quality Index. In addition, the Social Ecological model, used in the Dietary Guidelines, is incorporated into the Academys position as a guide for understanding why we eat what we do."