138 Unit 2 Nutrition and Wellness Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The Dietary Guidelines will have the greatest benefi t when all the recommendations are followed together as part of a healthy diet. The Guidelines urges each person to fi nd the steps for making changes that work best for him or her. The sooner changes are made, the sooner positive effects will be enjoyed. Follow a Healthy Eating Pattern Across the Life Span There is more than one healthy eating pattern consumers may choose to follow. The Guidelines uses the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern as an example, but also provides two other healthy eating patterns: Mediterranean- style and vegetarian. When followed, these eating patterns provide the nutrients needed for health. Regardless which eating pattern is used, the calorie level must be appropriate. The proper calorie level will help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. In the United States, a main reason for poor health and increased disease risk is overweight. Being overweight is a risk factor for many health conditions, including heart disease and many types of cancer. Following the Dietary Guidelines will help people who have a healthy body weight avoid weight gain. It will help people who are overweight lose excess pounds and improve their weight status. Body weight is partly due to how many calo- ries people consume through foods and bever- ages. It is also due to how many calories they burn through movement and body functions. When calories consumed equal calories burned, a person is in calorie balance. People who consume more calories than they burn will gain weight. One step many people need to take in the area of calorie balance is to eat fewer calories. The fi rst thing a person needs to know to take this step is his or her daily calorie needs. These needs are based on a person’s age and gender. Activity also has an impact on daily calorie needs. Three levels are used to describe how much movement people include in their lifestyles. Those who are sedentary move only as much as needed to do day-to-day tasks. Moderately active people add 30 to 60 minutes of extra activity to their daily routines. This activity would require effort equal to brisk walking. People who add more than 60 minutes of extra activity are at the active level. Calorie needs for teens at each of these levels are listed in Figure 8.4. Once people know their calorie needs, they must make sure the foods and drinks they consume meet but do not exceed those needs. An obvious way for adults to detect a problem with calorie intake is to keep track of their weight. Learn About… Types of DRI Values Different types of DRI values are set for different nutrients. Values for some nutrients are expressed as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Values for other nutrients are expressed as Adequate Intakes (AIs). The difference between these types of values has to do with the amount of research avail- able to nutrition experts. (AIs are used when there is insuffi cient evidence to establish an RDA.) What is important to remember is that both types of values can be used as guides to daily nutrient intake. For instance, you might use them to assess whether the latest fad diet provides enough of all the needed nutrients. These values could also help you decide whether a food product promoted to be nutritious really lives up to its advertising claims. One other type of DRI value is the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). This is the highest level of daily intake of a nutrient that is unlikely to pose risks of adverse health effects. Keep in mind that ULs are not intended to be recommended levels of intake. Health experts have found no advantage to consuming more than the RDA or AI of any nutrient. As intake increases above the UL, the risk of adverse effects increases. People can use ULs to check whether they might be consuming too much of any nutrient. See Appendix A, “Nutritional Goals for Age-Sex Groups.” Know and Apply 1. Use DRI values to explain the concept of nutrient toxicity. 2. Give an example of professionals who are likely to use DRI values in their work and explain how they might use them.