Public+Policy+-+Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition is a very important part of peoples everyday living. Some people have poor nutrician others have well managed nutrition. Thats why we see many skinny and obese americans today. A few ways to better manage your nutrition is by following the food pyramid, menu labeling or by following nutrition guidelines because you have a medical problem.

First, i want to start with the food pyramid. The food pyramid was developed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA),it is an excellent tool to help you make healthy food choices.The food pyramid is a good way to be healthy and to get the everyday nutrition that you need. eaing right helps you feel great and stay healthy so you can live well, you should take vitamins daily and get the correct minerals and other nutrition in your body. The food pyramid consist of grains, vegtables, fruits, milk and dairy products, meats and bean, fish and nuts and fats and oils. The pyramid is rainbow colored with vertical strips which represent the five food groups. The pyramid is a good key to follow you get a balanced diet which includes all food groups. The meat, protein and oils are alot smaller portions than others because you need less of these kinds of foods than you do of fruits, vegtables, grains and dairy foods.You have to have enough calories everyday in order for your body to have the nutrients it needs. How many calories that actually amounts to depends on a variety of factors including your age, sex, size, activity level, whether or not you are pregnant or a breastfeeding woman or whether you have a chronic illiness. The nation academy of science recommends the following calorie catagories; 1,600 calories for woman and older adults, 2,200 calories for children and teenage girls and 2,800 calories for teenage boys and active men and woman. As you can see the food pyramid can be extremely useful whether you want to gain weight, lose weight or maintain your weight or for other resaons.

Secondly, menu labeling is a good way to watch your calorie intake when you eat out. Americans eat out more than ever before, few resturants provide nutrition information at the point of ordering. As a result, we often get more calories, fat and salt then we realize. Without clear easy-to-use nutrition information at the point of ordering, its difficult to make informed choices at resturants. More than twenty states and localities are considering policies that would require fast-food and other chain restaurants to provide calories and other nutrition information on menus and menu boards. I think menu labeling would allow americans to exercise personal responsibility and make informed choices for a growing part of their diets. Consumers do have a right to information. Companies are required to provide that information if asked. A labeling requirement at chain resturants is even more compelling. People need nutrition information to manage their weight and reduce the risk of or manage heart disease, diabeties, or high blood pressure, which are leading causes of death, disability and heath-care costs. Without nutrition information, it is difficult to compare options and make informed decisions. Menu labeling is one important way to address obesity and nutrition. American adults and children consume on average one third of their calories from eating out. Studies link eating out with obesity and higher caloric intakes. Children eat almost twice as many calories when they eat at a resturant compared to a meal at home. The average american eats out four times a week; that is enough to lead to over-consuming calories not just on the day the person eats out, but also exceed calorie requirments over the course of a whole week. Also, when eating out, people eat more saturated fat and fewer nutrients, such as calcium and fiber. Nutrition information must be on the menu to be useful. Menu labeling is likely to spur nutritional improvments in restaurant foods. A key benefit of mandatory nutrition labeling on packaged foods has been the reformulation of existing products and the introduction of new nutritionally improved products.

Lastly, people with medical problems can get a better understanding of their nutrition. Alot of americans are suffering from chronic heath problems and by them having better nutrition and nutrition facts it can make or help the medical condition better. Many medical conditions occur due to stress and poor dietary habits. Many medical conditions and illnesses can be managed by the right nutritional balance. You need to eat the right amounts and right balance of food to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of disease. Remember the key to your health is nutrition you have to be well balanced to be or help improve your health. For people with medical problems there is a diet called DASH that is an eating plan that is very nutritional. The DASH diet consist of vegstables, low-fat diary foods and lower in saturated and total fat. it is a chiolesterol, high in potassium, calcium, magnesium and fiber; and moderate protein. By having the nutrition facts out there people with medical problems can eat or find what is good for them. It is recommended for people with diabeties and high cholesterol and high blood pressure to follow the food pyramid guildelines. People with medical problems most likely will have to watch what they eat. A well balanced diet and good nutrition can make a happy person a healthy person.

In conclusion, on the nutrition data, you'll find detailed nutrition information, plus unique analysis tools that tell you more about how foods affect your health and make it easier to choose heathy foods. Nutrition is a very important factor to follow, if people follow the food pyramid and if restaurant and fast foods would post the nutrition on the menu people would be healthier and happier. To me by doing the things i have brought to your attention regarding nutrition, i think if we follow some of these guildelines the problems that exist will no longer exist. We can make this a better healthier place for everyone.