New School Nutrition Standards Proposed

One month ago, the current administration signed the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010", which is designed to improve the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.  As part of this new law, the USDA was given the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools during the day.  However, at the time it was not known when the new nutritional standards would be set.  Yesterday was the first big step in that direction.  Yesterday, the USDA published a proposed rule to update the nutritional standards of the meals served in these school programs.  While you can download and read the full proposal (Docket ID: FNS-2007-0038 at regulations.gov), I have outlined some of the major recommendations below:

Breakfast Calorie Recommendations:

• Grades K - 5 = 350 - 500 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 400 - 550 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 450 - 600 calories

Lunch Calorie Recommendations: 

• Grades K - 5 = 550 - 650 calories
• Grades 6 - 8 = 600 - 700 calories
• Grades 9 - 12 = 750 - 850 calories

Breakfast Foods:

• Fruit - 1 cup per day (up from 1/2 cup)
• Grains & Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.4 - 2 grains per day plus 1 - 2 meat/meat alternatives per day  (up from 1 each per day)
• Whole Grains - At least half of grains consumed should be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1% (previously had no fat content recommendation)

Lunch Foods:

• Fruit - 3/4 to 1 cup of vegetables plus 1/2 to 1 cup of fruit per day (up from 1/2 to 1 cup of fruits and vegetables combined)
• Vegetables - recommend a weekly requirement for dark green and orange vegetables and legumes, while limiting starchy vegetables (no recommendation previously)
• Meat/Meat Alternatives - 1.6 to 2.4 ounces daily average over 5 days (down from 1.5 to 3 ounces)
• Grains - 1.8 to 2.6 ounces per day on average
• Whole grains - at least to half to be whole grains
• Milk - 1 cup with fat content to be less than 1%

Other Changes:

• Decrease saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories
• Decrease sodium to below 1,500 mg per day over a 10 year period.
• Foods used in school nutrition programs must have zero trans fat
• Offer versus Serve Program - At breakfast, students would be allowed to decline one food item, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  At lunch, students would be allowed to decline 2 food items, but MUST choose 1 fruit or vegetable item.  This program would be required at the high school level, but optional for schools at the elementary and middle school levels.

These proposed recommendations appear to make an overall improvement in the nutritional profile of the foods offered at all school levels.  These changes are clearly designed to increase our kids' consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while reducing their saturated fat and sodium intake.  As part of this, schools will no longer be allowed to offer whole milk or reduced-fat (2%) milk. These changes place the school breakfast and lunch programs more in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and consistent with the daily recommended intakes suggested by the Institute of Medicine.  At the moment this is still only a PROPOSED rule.  As such, it is open to public comment for the next 90 days.  So if you have any comments or suggestions on these new recommendations, now is the time to voice your opinion.


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Reduce Belly Fat By Choosing Whole Grains

Current recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 are that we should consume 3 or more 1-ounce servings of whole grains per day to help reduce the risk of several chronic health conditions and potentially support healthy weight control.  Whole grains include cereal grains that consist of the intact and unrefined, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components, the starchy endosperm, germ and bran, are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. While whole grains are an important part of our daily diet on their own, recent research suggests that consuming adequate amounts of whole grains each day also improves our overall diet quality.

Although previous research has suggested that whole grain consumption might help support healthy weight control, the impact of the types of grains we consume on body fat is not completely understood.  A recent nutrition study published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the impact of dietary grain consumption on changes in abdominal visceral fat (fat found around our internal organs) and abdominal subcutaneous fat (fat found under the skin of our belly).  Dietary information was collected from over 2,800 adult men and women who took part in the Framingham Heart Study by the use of a food frequency questionnaire.  Links between grain (whole versus refined) consumption and measurements of abdominal fat volume were analyzed.  The nutrition researchers reported:

• Individuals in the group with the highest whole grain consumption had the lowest amount of visceral fat and subcutaneous belly fat.
• Eating large amounts of refined grains was linked to higher levels of both subcutaneous belly fat and visceral fat.
• Study subjects who consumed at least three servings of whole grains, but still continued to eat large amounts of refined grains did not see any reduction in abdominal visceral fat.

These are very interesting and important findings that can help guide us toward healthier eating habits.  While it is clear that consuming whole grains might have a variety of possible health and nutritional benefits, this new study points out the importance of increasing our whole grain consumption at the expense of refined grains.  The benefits of whole grain consumption on visceral belly fat reduction were only evident when whole grains replaced refined grains in the diet.  So in addition to getting adequate amounts of whole grains in our diets, make sure to substitute those whole grains for the refined grains many of us currently choose.  Instead of dinner rolls made from refined grains, choose whole grain dinner rolls or instead of consuming a sandwich on bread made for refined grains (most white breads), choose 100% whole wheat bread.

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Eat Your 'Whole Grains'!

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommend that we consume 3 or more 1-ounce servings of whole grains per day to help reduce the risk of several chronic diseases and potentially support healthy weight control.  Interestingly, there was not an official definition of 'whole grains' until one was issued by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in February 2006.  According to the FDA, whole grains include cereal grains that consist of the intact and unrefined, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components, the starchy endosperm, germ and bran, are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Despite having a better understanding of what constitutes 'whole grains', little information exists on how much whole grain we eat as a population and how it impacts our overall nutrient intake.

A new nutrition research study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association used data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 - 2004 to determine the link between consumption of whole grains and diet quality, including nutrient intake.  Data was collected from 7,039 survey participants between 19 - 50 years of age and 6,237 participants 51 years of age or older.  The survey participants were divided into four groups based on their whole grain consumption habits: (1) zero to less than 0.6 servings/day, (2) between 0.6 - 1.5 servings/day, and (3) between 1.5 - less than 3 servings/day, and (4) 3 or more servings/day.  Analysis of whole grains consumption, dietary quality, and nutrient intake showed that:

• When looking at the study population overall, individuals between 19 - 50 years of age only consumed 0.63 servings of whole grains per day on average, while adults over 51 years of age ate an average of 0.77 servings of whole grains per day.
• In adults consuming the most servings of whole grains daily, diet quality and intakes of fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids (healthier fats), and total energy were substantially higher.
• Micronutrient intake, except vitamin B12 and sodium, was higher in adults consuming the most servings of whole grains.
• Adults eating the highest levels of whole grains consumed significantly smaller amounts of total sugar, added sugar, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol.

The results of this dietary consumption analysis provide us with a couple of important take-home messages.  First, it is clear that eating recommended amounts of whole grains dramatically improves our diet quality.  This was clear by the increase in the consumption of healthier dietary components like fiber, polyunsaturated fats, and higher amounts of most vitamins and minerals.  Additionally diet quality was improved by the reduction in the amounts of less healthy dietary components like saturated fat, added sugar, and cholesterol.  Secondly (and unfortunately), this new study makes it very clear that the vast majority of us eat no where close to the amount of whole grains that we should.  This lack of whole grains in our diets has a serious negative impact on our overall diet quality.  Based on these study results if we wanted to make one quick and easy dietary change to improve the quality of our diet, it would be to start consuming 3 or more servings of whole grains every day.

How much whole grains do you eat each day?

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Eat A Good Breakfast To Reduce Body Size

We've all probably heard that eating breakfast is an important part of a healthy weight management plan.  Research has suggested that eating a healthy breakfast reduces the risk for obesity, reduces overall daily calorie intake, and prevents overeating later in the day.  Despite the importance of a good breakfast, many of us choose to either eat a small, quick breakfast on the way out the door each morning or to skip breakfast entirely.

New research out of Australia, continues to show the benefit of eating a good breakfast on body weight and obesity risk.  For this research, the study investigators examined data from nearly 900 men and over 600 women that took part in three independent diet/nutrition surveys.  Analysis of the survey data showed that:

• Coffee consumption was associated with smaller breakfasts or skipping breakfast entirely.
• Consumption of breakfast was associated with eating cereals, bread, and fruit among other items.
• Breakfast size was inversely related to body mass index such that a larger breakfast predicted a lower body mass index.
• The impact of breakfast size on body mass index was only seen in men, not women.

This new research continues to show the importance of eating an adequate and healthy breakfast.   It is unclear why the benefit of breakfast size on body mass index was only seen in men and not women.  Nonetheless, previous research has shown that a healthy breakfast is important for everyone.

Aiming for nutrient-rich foods is the best approach to take when designing a healthy start to your day.  Nutrient-rich foods provide high levels of nutrients needed for overall health while keeping calorie levels lower.  Therefore, you can eat more at a lower calorie cost.  In contrast, energy-dense foods often provide little nutritional value, come with high calorie levels, and often don't keep your hunger at bay.  So choose nutrient-rich options like whole grain foods, fruits, and protein.  Even if you are in a hurry to get out the door, a breakfast smoothie rich in protein and fruit takes only a few minutes to blend and pour into a travel mug.  So make sure to take the time to whip together a healthy and nutritious breakfast and get your day off to a good start.

My protein shakes and bars make a great breakfast choice, whether you are looking to lose weight or simply maintain a healthy body weight.  They are high in protein (milk or soy), come in a variety of delicious flavors, and make great smoothies.  Choose your own recipe or try one of my favorites!