FUEL: February 27, 2015

Continuing the dig - deep into America's eating habits

Spoiler Summary: Want to do your part to fix America's health crisis? FUEL (better) and MOVE (more)....could it really be that simple? Yes.

Q: What do you get when you assemble 75 of the country's leading researchers, educators and thinkers on the topic of nutrition all on the same team?  

A: A really long report about the way we currently fuel & move as it compares to the way the leading science says we should.

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In case you missed it, late last week the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was released.  Although I'm sure the FUEL-geeks on my team were not the only ones who were interested in diving into the several hundred page report....it's probably fair to say that most people didn't consider it a must-read.

However, as boring as a scientific report might seem, it's an incredibly important document because it lays the foundation for the laws and regulations that will impact our food system.....what's easy to get, what it costs, etc.....and, because of the many ties between how we eat and how our bodies perform day in and day out, a major lever on our health and safety risks.

Even though you might read it for yourself (if you have a lot of spare time) - I figured the cliff's notes version might be helpful until then.

Problem: About 1/2 of all American Adults (117 Million) having at least one preventable chronic disease that is impacted by food and physical activity.

Evidence: On average, the US diet is low in vegetables, fruit and whole grains, and high in sodium, calories, saturated fat, refined grains and added sugars.

Evidence: A healthy dietary pattern is higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low or non-fat dairy, seafood, legumes and nuts; moderate in alcohol (among adults); lower in red and processed meats; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and drinks and refined grains.

Evidence: Moderate to strong evidence demonstrates that healthy dietary patterns that are higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds and lower in calories and animal-based foods are associated with more favorable environmental outcomes

Evidence: Engage in at least 2.5 hours per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. For weight control, at least 1 hour a day of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity may be required.

Approach: Individual or small-group comprehensive lifestyle interventions that target diet and physical activity and are led by multidisciplinary professional teams provide optimal results in chronic disease risk reduction, weight loss and weight loss maintenance.

Recommendation: Seek regular advice from qualified health care providers to establish a personalized plan forprevention. As appropriate, engage with health professionals to address personal health risks that can be lowered with sound diet and physical activity, or participate in comprehensive lifestyle interventions.

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What's the bottom line?  It's a big problem. There are sizable gaps in the way we FUEL and MOVE. To help close the gaps we should eat more plants & move more. It also supports CONNECT, namely, there is strength in numbers so build healthy families and communities to succeed and last, it acknowledges that it can be complex and recommends having a personalized plan and a strong team of professionals around you.

Of course these are not the only things (there was even some support for the connection between black-coffee consumption and blood sugar control which we occasionally mention)....but these are the big items.  We're happy to answer your questions or get you a copy of the full report if your looking to do a deeper dive!

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.