Chapter 5 Nutrition Guidelines 107 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Shift to Healthier Food and Beverage Choices Most Americans exceed the recommendations for consumption of added sug- ars, saturated fats, and sodium. Adopting a healthier eating pattern is easier when small, incremental changes are made over a period of time. Consider each food and beverage choice an opportunity to improve your eating pattern. Support Healthy Eating Patterns for All Shifting to healthy eating behaviors requires the support of home, school, work, communities, healthcare providers, and everyone who cares about the health of the nation. By implementing changes to improve eating behaviors in all of these settings, efforts are more effective. Physical activity is important not only for calorie balance, but also for prevention of many chronic diseases. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines addresses the impor- tance of physical activity in health and encourages Americans to meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans is a set of recommendations that specify amounts and types of exercise that individu- als at different life-cycle stages need each day. Just as healthy eating patterns must be supported at home, school, work, and across the community, so too must physical activity. MyPlate The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a food guidance system called MyPlate that is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The website ChooseMyPlate.gov offers tools and resources that help individuals make changes to their eating habits that are con- sistent with the Dietary Guidelines. The MyPlate icon is a simple, visual message to help Americans build a healthy plate at mealtime. MyPlate divides foods into five main food groups—fruits, grains, vegetables, protein foods, and dairy. Foods from each of these categories are required for a healthy eating pattern. The plate is split into four sections to represent fruits, grains, vegetables, and protein. The sections differ in size based on the recommended portion of your meal each food should be. The circle next to the plate represents the dairy group. The MyPlate image communicates the message that half of your meal plate should be fruits and vegetables. Oils are not a food group and are not included on the MyPlate image (Figure 5.3). MyPlate Food Groups The MyPlate food guidance system empha- sizes eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups. It helps you identify which foods are in each group, what amounts you should eat, and how to make a healthy selection. MyPlate Food Guidance System MyPlate Food Guidance System • Focus on variety, amount, and nutrition. • Choose foods and beverages with less saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. • Start with small changes to build healthier eating styles. • Support healthy eating for everyone. Image: USDA Figure 5.3 The MyPlate food guidance system was created to help consumers implement the recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines.