Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Studies show almost the entire U.S. population does not consume the recommended amounts of vegetables and grains and a large majority of the population do not consume the recommended amounts of fruits, milk and oils.
How do you know if you are meeting current dietary recommendations? You might check the new food guide pyramid, now called MyPyramid (3). And how do we stack up as a nation? Recent research shows, not that well; almost the entire U.S. population did not meet recommendations for intake of fruits, vegetables, dark green vegetables, legumes, whole grains, oils and milk (1). At the same time, most of the population is over-consuming solid fats, added sugars and alcoholic beverages; “empty calories” that are likely contributing to the obesity epidemic in this country (1).
The current research included data from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Two 24-hour dietary recalls were recorded each year from 17,311 participants. In a dietary recall, participants give a description of everything they’ve eaten during a specific time period. The first 24-hour recall was done in an interview style in mobile exam centers and the second 24-hour recall was done 3-10 days later by telephone (1). Due to confidentiality laws, only publicly released 24-hour recalls were used in the current study. A total of 23,633 24-hour recalls were evaluated, 2 each from 7,295 participants and 1 each from all the other participants (1).
Since people eat food combinations and rarely a single food group at a time, the USDA’s MyPyramid Equivalents Database (MPED) was used to provide estimates of the 32 food groups consumed by each participant (1,2). For example, a dinner of beef and broccoli would be separated into the appropriate vegetable and meat groups. And foods with added ingredients, such as a flavored diary creamer, were separated into milk and added sugars (1).
Among the survey findings were:
- Over 92% of individuals 4-30 years old did not meet the total vegetable recommendation, and at least 75% of individuals from 2-3 and 31-71+ years old did not meet the recommendation.
- Over 87% of individuals in all age groups did not meet the recommendation for dark green vegetables.
- Over 94% of individuals 4-71+ years old did not meet the orange vegetable recommendation.
- Over 93% of individuals 4-71+ years old did not meet the legume recommendation.
- Over 96% of individuals in all age groups did not meet the recommendation for whole grains.
- Over 67% of individuals from 9-71+ years old did not meet the recommendation for milk (1).
- Over 80% of individuals 71+ years and over 90% of individuals 2-70 years old over-consumed solid fats, added sugars and alcoholic beverages (1). This indicates that non-nutrient-dense foods such as cookies, pastries, cakes and sugar-sweetened beverages are taking the place of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and milk in the diet (1).
In conclusion, almost the entire U.S. population does not consume the recommended amounts of vegetables and grains and a large majority of the population do not consume the recommended amounts of fruits, milk and oils. However, solid fats, added sugars and alcoholic beverages are over-consumed, likely contributing to the obesity epidemic (1).
Source: Krebs-Smith, Susan M., et al. “Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations.” The Journal of nutrition 140.10 (2010): 1832-1838.
© 2010 American Society for Nutrition.
Posted September 23, 2010.
References:
- Smith, et al. Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations. The Journal of Nutrition. Doi: 10.3945/jn.110.124826.
- Britten P, et al. Development of food intake patterns for the MyPyramid Food Guidance System. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2006; 38:578-92.
- MyPyramid. USDA.
