vegetables, whole grains
Every 5 years or so, the U.S. government issues its recommendations for healthy nutrition. In the past, the dietary
guidelines were known as the so-called Food Pyramid or MyPyramid (a modified concept introduced in 2005). This time,
there is no specific graphic that reflects a hierarchy of foods in terms of nutritional benefits. Yet, the just
released updates have already been pronounced in the press as the "bluntest nutrition advice to date." (The New York
Times 2/1/2001)
Blunt or not, the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.), which is the responsible agency for the
government's dietary guidelines, has been less shy this time about pointing fingers at some of the most notorious
causes of our national obesity epidemic.
Traditionally, the U.S.D.A. has limited its policies to handing out recommendations instead of warnings, like a loving
parent or dog owner who rather praises than reprimands. While encouraging us to eat more fruits and vegetables, the
agency chose to remain mostly mute in regards to our excessive consumption of meat products and processed foods.
Not any more. Foods and drinks known for their high content of salt, fat and sugar are explicitly singled out as major
contributors to our public health malaise. And – a real first – Americans are urged to eat less! We still live in a
land where everything is possible.
True, the government is not altogether ahead of the curve. You may say that the latest updates do little more than
stating the obvious. The food industry has long become aware that ignoring the increasing demand for healthier food
supplies is not a viable strategy. Wal-Mart, the biggest seller of groceries in the nation, has recently announced its
plans to offer healthier choices, including fresh produce, at affordable prices. The hope is that Wal-Mart's initiative
will be perceived as a signal for the entire industry to follow suit.
Critics point out that the government's efforts to improve the public's eating habits may not go far enough because
many of its former recommendations remain unchanged. While warnings against excessive consumption of certain nutrients,
like sodium, fat and sugar, have been included in the guidelines in the past, many of the most fundamental dietary
problems are still not being addressed.
For instance, the typical diet of Americans continues to be heavy on meat products and refined grains. While the
recommendations single out whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and even seafood as desirable choices of
which Americans should eat more, foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and refined grains are not mentioned by
name at all. Yet these are the ones American consumers buy the most: Hamburgers, steaks, pizza, white breads and
pastries.
Furthermore, many of the government recommendations are plainly at odds with its existing agricultural policies. Tax-
payer-funded subsidies for corn- and soy production are as high as ever, while small organic farms receive no financial
help from the government at all. Consequently, high-quality food products remain expensive, while affordable foods lack
important nutritional benefits. Or, as one commentator put it: Rich farmers produce junk food for the poor while poor
farmers grow healthy food for the rich.
The government itself is stuck in an impossible position. The U.S.D.A. has two missions to fulfill that are hard to
reconcile with one another. On the one hand, the agency is responsible for the expansion of agricultural markets, which
means promoting the products it subsidizes, like corn, soy and sugar. On the other hand, it is entrusted with the
nutritional health education of the public, which includes advising us to reduce our consumption of these very same
items. It is an almost schizophrenic scenario.
The more important question, of course, will be whether and how the American people will respond to the government's
recommendations. Some like to say that it is foolish to believe that messages from the government will impact our
eating habits on a large scale. Food choices, they argue, are too personal to be controlled by outside influences,
never mind how well-meaning they may be.
I don't think that's a valid point, though. If it worked with tobacco, it can work with sodas and junk food. Government
may not be able to directly impact the behavior of individuals, but it surely can regulate what suppliers can put on
the market, starting with imposing restrictions on advertising to minors.
I think the biggest challenges are availability and affordability of healthy food items. Most people would probably
choose to eat better if they had the funds. Grocery prices, especially for fresh produce, have risen so dramatically in
recent years that the kind of food people can afford has almost become an issue of class distinction. Obesity is most
widespread among the poor, not because they eat too much, but because they are forced to survive on the cheapest foods
available.
Giving supermarkets incentives to set up shop in low-income neighborhoods, a.k.a. "food deserts," subsidizing small
organic farms instead of agricultural industry giants, and investing more in public health education, including cooking
classes in all public schools, would build a much better platform for the government's efforts to turn our current
health crisis around. Maybe in five years from now we will know better.
Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- One in five kids don't get the proper dental care, according to Columbia's Small Smiles Dental
Clinic. They are working to change that by providing free screenings for kids.
"Okay Jordan, open big buddy, I just want to count your teeth, ok?" Dr. Terrence Vandiver says to his patient.
"Jordan has never had a check-up or anything like that, or seen a dentist," Necole Tucker says of her son, Jordan.
At just two-years old, Jordan Tucker is opening wide for the first time.
"I know how important it is for his teeth since he's so young," Necole says.
"First time here, so we'd love to establish his as his dental home because a dental home is important," Vandiver says.
Wednesday's free dental exams at Small Smiles Clinic in Columbia helped Mom out.
"A lot, cause you know you gotta do and all that other stuff that's expensive so once you hear, like I said, the word
free, you gotta take advantage of it when you can," Necole says.
"My background is not much different from the kids I see everyday and so a couple bounces of the ball in any direction
and i could be right here as a small smiles patient myself or I could have been as a kid," Vandiver says.
Vandiver happily checks teeth free of charge.
"It's well-documented that our patient population is an under-served population and so truly we do exist to make sure
that we can fill a void in the community that's very much needed," he says.
"I think he's already done got used to it putting the toothbrush in his mouth so I think the visit helped," Necole
says.
The free screenings were to celebrate Children's Day of Dental Health Month. Small Smiles is deciding if they'll have
more free screenings later in the month.
Today, the majority of adults and one in three children in America are overweight or obese. This is a crisis we can no
longer ignore.
In President Obama's recent State of the Union address, he called on our nation to build an economy that is growing and
working for all Americans by out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world.
But our workers and leaders will never out-innovate or out-build competitors if they are unhealthy or home sick. And
our children won't get a first rate education if they can't focus in class because they aren't eating right, or are
teased because of their weight.
Click here to find out more!
That is why the release of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans is so important.
Prepared by USDA with our colleagues at the Department of Health and Human Services, and based on a report by America's
foremost experts on nutrition and health, these guidelines give busy individuals, moms and dads the information they
need to make thoughtful choices for themselves and their families.
There are no shortages of diet books, plans and programs, and many of them can produce great results. But these
guidelines make it simple to stay fit and healthy. They reinforce what folks already know: that a healthy life is built
on a foundation of calories consumed, balanced with calories expended through physical activity.
To maintain a healthy weight and avoid the potential health risks of being overweight, calories in should equal
calories out. If your goal is to lose weight, then calories out must exceed the calories we consume.
No matter our goals, we all need to eat healthier foods in the right portions. A balanced diet is rich in fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, lean protein (including fish), and low-fat dairy. Try to limit sodium, sugar and fat. The
guidelines recommend that adults balance healthy eating with regular physical activity for 30 minutes, five times a
week, and that children play and run 60 minutes a day.
guidelines were known as the so-called Food Pyramid or MyPyramid (a modified concept introduced in 2005). This time,
there is no specific graphic that reflects a hierarchy of foods in terms of nutritional benefits. Yet, the just
released updates have already been pronounced in the press as the "bluntest nutrition advice to date." (The New York
Times 2/1/2001)
Blunt or not, the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.), which is the responsible agency for the
government's dietary guidelines, has been less shy this time about pointing fingers at some of the most notorious
causes of our national obesity epidemic.
Traditionally, the U.S.D.A. has limited its policies to handing out recommendations instead of warnings, like a loving
parent or dog owner who rather praises than reprimands. While encouraging us to eat more fruits and vegetables, the
agency chose to remain mostly mute in regards to our excessive consumption of meat products and processed foods.
Not any more. Foods and drinks known for their high content of salt, fat and sugar are explicitly singled out as major
contributors to our public health malaise. And – a real first – Americans are urged to eat less! We still live in a
land where everything is possible.
True, the government is not altogether ahead of the curve. You may say that the latest updates do little more than
stating the obvious. The food industry has long become aware that ignoring the increasing demand for healthier food
supplies is not a viable strategy. Wal-Mart, the biggest seller of groceries in the nation, has recently announced its
plans to offer healthier choices, including fresh produce, at affordable prices. The hope is that Wal-Mart's initiative
will be perceived as a signal for the entire industry to follow suit.
Critics point out that the government's efforts to improve the public's eating habits may not go far enough because
many of its former recommendations remain unchanged. While warnings against excessive consumption of certain nutrients,
like sodium, fat and sugar, have been included in the guidelines in the past, many of the most fundamental dietary
problems are still not being addressed.
For instance, the typical diet of Americans continues to be heavy on meat products and refined grains. While the
recommendations single out whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and even seafood as desirable choices of
which Americans should eat more, foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and refined grains are not mentioned by
name at all. Yet these are the ones American consumers buy the most: Hamburgers, steaks, pizza, white breads and
pastries.
Furthermore, many of the government recommendations are plainly at odds with its existing agricultural policies. Tax-
payer-funded subsidies for corn- and soy production are as high as ever, while small organic farms receive no financial
help from the government at all. Consequently, high-quality food products remain expensive, while affordable foods lack
important nutritional benefits. Or, as one commentator put it: Rich farmers produce junk food for the poor while poor
farmers grow healthy food for the rich.
The government itself is stuck in an impossible position. The U.S.D.A. has two missions to fulfill that are hard to
reconcile with one another. On the one hand, the agency is responsible for the expansion of agricultural markets, which
means promoting the products it subsidizes, like corn, soy and sugar. On the other hand, it is entrusted with the
nutritional health education of the public, which includes advising us to reduce our consumption of these very same
items. It is an almost schizophrenic scenario.
The more important question, of course, will be whether and how the American people will respond to the government's
recommendations. Some like to say that it is foolish to believe that messages from the government will impact our
eating habits on a large scale. Food choices, they argue, are too personal to be controlled by outside influences,
never mind how well-meaning they may be.
I don't think that's a valid point, though. If it worked with tobacco, it can work with sodas and junk food. Government
may not be able to directly impact the behavior of individuals, but it surely can regulate what suppliers can put on
the market, starting with imposing restrictions on advertising to minors.
I think the biggest challenges are availability and affordability of healthy food items. Most people would probably
choose to eat better if they had the funds. Grocery prices, especially for fresh produce, have risen so dramatically in
recent years that the kind of food people can afford has almost become an issue of class distinction. Obesity is most
widespread among the poor, not because they eat too much, but because they are forced to survive on the cheapest foods
available.
Giving supermarkets incentives to set up shop in low-income neighborhoods, a.k.a. "food deserts," subsidizing small
organic farms instead of agricultural industry giants, and investing more in public health education, including cooking
classes in all public schools, would build a much better platform for the government's efforts to turn our current
health crisis around. Maybe in five years from now we will know better.
Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- One in five kids don't get the proper dental care, according to Columbia's Small Smiles Dental
Clinic. They are working to change that by providing free screenings for kids.
"Okay Jordan, open big buddy, I just want to count your teeth, ok?" Dr. Terrence Vandiver says to his patient.
"Jordan has never had a check-up or anything like that, or seen a dentist," Necole Tucker says of her son, Jordan.
At just two-years old, Jordan Tucker is opening wide for the first time.
"I know how important it is for his teeth since he's so young," Necole says.
"First time here, so we'd love to establish his as his dental home because a dental home is important," Vandiver says.
Wednesday's free dental exams at Small Smiles Clinic in Columbia helped Mom out.
"A lot, cause you know you gotta do and all that other stuff that's expensive so once you hear, like I said, the word
free, you gotta take advantage of it when you can," Necole says.
"My background is not much different from the kids I see everyday and so a couple bounces of the ball in any direction
and i could be right here as a small smiles patient myself or I could have been as a kid," Vandiver says.
Vandiver happily checks teeth free of charge.
"It's well-documented that our patient population is an under-served population and so truly we do exist to make sure
that we can fill a void in the community that's very much needed," he says.
"I think he's already done got used to it putting the toothbrush in his mouth so I think the visit helped," Necole
says.
The free screenings were to celebrate Children's Day of Dental Health Month. Small Smiles is deciding if they'll have
more free screenings later in the month.
Today, the majority of adults and one in three children in America are overweight or obese. This is a crisis we can no
longer ignore.
In President Obama's recent State of the Union address, he called on our nation to build an economy that is growing and
working for all Americans by out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world.
But our workers and leaders will never out-innovate or out-build competitors if they are unhealthy or home sick. And
our children won't get a first rate education if they can't focus in class because they aren't eating right, or are
teased because of their weight.
Click here to find out more!
That is why the release of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans is so important.
Prepared by USDA with our colleagues at the Department of Health and Human Services, and based on a report by America's
foremost experts on nutrition and health, these guidelines give busy individuals, moms and dads the information they
need to make thoughtful choices for themselves and their families.
There are no shortages of diet books, plans and programs, and many of them can produce great results. But these
guidelines make it simple to stay fit and healthy. They reinforce what folks already know: that a healthy life is built
on a foundation of calories consumed, balanced with calories expended through physical activity.
To maintain a healthy weight and avoid the potential health risks of being overweight, calories in should equal
calories out. If your goal is to lose weight, then calories out must exceed the calories we consume.
No matter our goals, we all need to eat healthier foods in the right portions. A balanced diet is rich in fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, lean protein (including fish), and low-fat dairy. Try to limit sodium, sugar and fat. The
guidelines recommend that adults balance healthy eating with regular physical activity for 30 minutes, five times a
week, and that children play and run 60 minutes a day.
