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Nutrition: Week Three
Chapter Four: Guidelines for Healthy Eating
Guidelines for Healthy Eating
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Nutrition is vital to maintaining optimal health. Healthy food choices and controlling weight are important steps in promoting health and reducing risk factors for disease.
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Nurses should encourage favorable nutritional choices and can serve as informational resources for clients regarding guidelines for healthy eating.
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Established guidelines for healthy eating that clients and nurses can refer to include the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate, along with a number of condition- or system-specific guidelines.
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Vegetarian diets can meet all nutrient recommendations. It is essential to consume a variety and correct amount of foods to meet individual caloric needs.
Click for the complete pdf of the 2020 -2025 Dietary Guidelines
Beneficial Strategies for Cooking at Home
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When using convenience foods or boxed meals, add healthy ingredients (frozen vegetables, canned legumes) to increase the volume of food and add nutrition.
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Decrease the amount of salt or seasonings containing sodium when cooking.
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Buy side items that increase the nutritional value of meals (packaged salad kits, pre-cut fruit, whole-grain bread).
Strategies to Meet Nutritional Guidelines When Eating Out
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Eat a high-fiber snack 1 hour before leaving to eat. It is easier to make healthier food choices when not really hungry.
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If one meal out is going to be high-calorie, make the other meals of the day lower in calories and high in nutrients and fiber to provide balance.
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Watch for components that add fat content to the meal (fatty meats, nuts, creams, gravies and sauces with whole milk, fatty salad dressings). Asking for these items on the side can reduce the amount consumed.
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Pick a restaurant that offers healthy options.
My Plate
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The USDA sponsors a website that promotes healthy food choices balanced with physical activity (www.choosemyplate.gov). MyPlate is based on the current USDA dietary guidelines and is a tool to help individuals identify daily amounts of foods based on criteria (age, sex, activity level). The food groups represented are grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy, oils, and protein foods.
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MyPlate can serve as a reminder to balance calorie intake with suitable activity.
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Adults should engage in at least 2.5 hrs/week of vigorous aerobic physical activity.
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Children and adolescents should be physically active for 60 min/day, the majority of which should be moderate or vigorous aerobic physical activity, but developmentally appropriate and fun. Children should engage in muscle strengthening activities at least 3 days/week. Activity levels can be met in short periods of activity throughout the day instead of a sustained 60 min.
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The MyPlate image and information sheet are available in multiple languages to assist with client education.
Click for the link to
Choose My Plate
Vegetarian Diets
A vegetarian diet focuses on plants for food, including fruits, vegetables, dried beans, and peas, grains, seeds, and nuts. There is no single type of vegetarian diet. Vegetarian eating patterns usually fall into the following groups.
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Vegan diet excludes all meat and animal products.
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Lacto vegetarian diet includes dairy products.
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Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes dairy products and eggs.
People who follow vegetarian diets can get all the nutrients they need, but they must be careful to eat a wide variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. It is important to discuss ensuring enough vitamin D and B12, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids are consumed by clients who follow a vegan diet.
Strategies for Promotion of Specific Areas of Health
HEART
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Limit saturated fat to 10% of calories. Consume as little cholesterol in the diet as possible, as long as it does not hinder a healthy eating pattern.
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For individuals with elevated low density lipoprotein (LDL), the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends increasing monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber.
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The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is proven by research to significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
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Normal functioning of the nervous system depends on adequate levels of the b-complex vitamins, especially thiamine, niacin, and vitamins B6 and B12.
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Calcium and sodium are important regulators of nerve responses. Consuming the recommended servings from the grain and dairy food groups provides these nutrients.
BONES
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Consuming the recommended servings from the MyPlate’s dairy group supplies the calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus necessary for bone formation.
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Weight-bearing physical activity is essential to decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
Click to study Chapter Four Vocabulary words
Chapter Six: Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Influences
Cultural, ethnic, and religious consideration greatly affect nutritional health.
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Ethnocentrism - evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.
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Acculturation - assimilation to a different culture, usually the dominant one.
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Considering the client’s food way can be a helpful way to determine dietary preferences, which includes the role of foods, food preparation, what foods are considered edible, timing of meals, and use of food for health or other benefits
Culture and Nutrition
Foods might be symbolic for a client because of their culture.
- representing masculinity or femininity.
- viewed as an expression of love or punishment.
- representing connectedness or separateness.
- part of celebration or mourning.
- “comfort foods” that relate to the client’s past.
Hispanic/Latinx
The predominant minority group in the U.S., with the largest percentage clients being of Mexican heritage.
NUTRITION-RELATED CONCERNS
•High intake of fruit, dark green and orange vegetables, legumes.
•Increased intake of saturated fat and sodium.
•Decreased intake of whole grains and milk.
•High prevalence of obesity.
•Diabetes mellitus type2 as a leading cause of death.
African American
The second largest minority group in the U.S.
NUTRITION-RELATED CONCERNS
•Score just under the national average on USDA healthy eating scores.
•Highest prevalence rates of obesity.
•Increased rates of diabetes mellitus with increased risk of complications.
•Increased risk for hypertension, usually uncontrolled.
Asian American
Third largest minority group in the U.S., and includes 37 different ethnic groups.
NUTRITION-RELATED CONCERNS
•Lowest prevalence of obesity.
•Highest life expectancy (Asian American females).
•Higher risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 when body fat increases.
Click for a week three review game
Selected Cultural Diets - Nutritional Health Risks
American
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Convenience foods for home cooking are high in sodium and calories, while low in fiber.
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Portion sizes on packaged meals are often small, leading to consuming more than one serving.
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Meals with snacks eaten away from home are low in fruit, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains, but high in fat, sugar, and sodium.
Soul Food
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High in fat, protein, and sodium
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Low in potassium, calcium, and fiber
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Many foods are fried
Vegetarian Diets
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Semi-vegetarian/flexitarian- mainly plant based with occasional intake of meat, poultry, dairy, or fish.
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Vegetarian- typically omits meat but some may include eggs, dairy, fish, and/or occasional animal products.
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Vegan- diets do not include animal products. Requires a variety of plant materials to be consumed in specific combinations in order to ensure essential amino acid intake.
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Raw vegan- only raw uncooked plant-based foods.
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Macrobiotic diet- whole-foods diet based on locally grown plants with occasional fish or seafood.
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NUTRITIONAL-RELATED HEALTH RISKS:
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Deficiency in vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and zinc unless the client incorporates these foods regularly.
Variations Based on Religion
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Some religions observe feast on specific days.
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Some fast for religious holidays.
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Restricting specific substances like alcohol, pork, coffee or tea
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Consuming animal products
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Preparing foods
Click for a week three review game
