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Many Americans' diets are a train wreck -- loaded with junk food, fast food, sugary beverages and too few healthful foods.

So it's no surprise that the federal government's new dietary guidelines recommend people get back on track and eat healthier by slashing sugar, salt and solid fats -- such as butter and stick margarine -- from their diets and eating more seafood, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, are designed to help people reach a healthy weight and reduce their risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

About two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the USA are overweight or obese.

"We are saying to Americans: You really need to think about your diet because you want to live a good, healthy life and you want your children and grandchildren to have that same opportunity," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told USA TODAY. "You need to be conscious of what you eat."

Among the 23 key recommendations:

*Consume fewer calories from solid fats and added sugars.

*Eat more fruits and vegetables.

*Choose a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas.

*Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Increase whole-grain intake by replacing refined grains with whole grains.

*Increase the amounts of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy beverages.

*Use oils to replace solid fats where possible.

*Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams for many people and further reduce intake to 1,500 milligrams for people who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

Currently, people consume about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day or about 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Does this sound like your diet?

The guidelines for healthful eating are not new ideas -- nutritionists and public health officials have been preaching similar ones for years -- but these habits are a far cry from the way most people eat. On average, adults consume:

* Nearly 800 calories a day from solid fats and added sugars, the guidelines say. That includes several hundred calories a day from sugary beverages such as soda and sports drinks and from desserts such as cookies, cakes and doughnuts.

*Less than two cups of vegetables and fruit a day, far below the recommended four or more cups, a recent study showed.

Most people don't know how many calories they should consume in a day to maintain their weight, a recent survey showed.

The ideal number depends on height, weight, gender, age, activity level and other factors. Estimates range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day for women, and 2,000 to 3,000 for men.

"The guidelines are achievable goals," says Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in Boston who is writing a book on them for the American Dietetic Association.

"You can meet most of these recommendations if you simply eat foods in their most natural form whenever you can," she says. "That way you'll avoid excess sodium, fat and added sugar, and you'll increase your chances of eating enough calcium, vitamin D, potassium and fiber."

Make smart substitutions each day

In practical terms, she says, that means eating an egg, whole-grain toast and fruit for breakfast instead of sugary cereal, toaster treats or a plain bagel with cream cheese.

It means having unsalted nuts or seeds instead of chips as a snack; raisins, dried apricots or dried figs instead of candy; fat-free milk or water instead of high-calorie soft drinks, Ward says.

Vilsack knows that the guidelines mean many people will need to make some significant changes in the way they eat -- himself included.

He says after he read the new guidelines, he realized his own diet was "way off base" because he was eating too many added sugars and solid fats and not enough fruits and vegetables. He's now working on changing that.

When it comes to reversing the obesity epidemic, "there's no quick fix," he says. "It's all about calories in and calories out."

For the full report, visit dietaryguidelines.gov.

(c) Copyright 2011 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.  

Most Recent First Oldest First Most Popular First

AnnH Health diets and eating are far to often over looked in the US now days. We all need to spend more time considering what we are eating. Now days our stores are all packed with so many fresh and frozen healthy foods it should be easier not harder to do this.
Wed Mar 9, 2011, 2:35:09 PM EST

redfred0858 Applying common sense goes a long way when it comes to weight loss. From my own long experience with the ups and downs of trying to lose weight, I have found that Weight Watchers is about the best thing going when it comes to a long-term, healthy approach.
Wed Mar 9, 2011, 8:00:09 PM EST

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