Page 178 - Nutrition Essentials for Nursing Practice

166 U N I T 1 Principles of Nutrition

Weig ht gain 0 Weightloss

1500 cal output

3000 cal intake Increase
in body mass

■ F I G U R E 7 . 4 A positive energy balance: calorie intake is greater than calorie output.

Americans consume approximately 35% of their total calories in the form of empty calories
(ChooseMyPlate.gov). Likewise, fewer than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of PA
each day (USDA, USDHHS, 2010).

Food Choices

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 contain two main interrelated concepts: main-
tain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight and focus on consum-
ing nutrient-dense foods and beverages (USDA, USDHHS, 2010). Key recommendations
that pertain to calorie balance and weight management are listed in Box 7.2.

Some lifestyle strategies to attain and maintain healthy weight are discussed in the fol-
lowing section. As a clinical issue, the management of overweight and obesity, including
therapeutic diet approaches, is presented in Chapter 14.

QUICK BITE

Foods strongly associated with weight gain Foods inversely associated with weight gain
Potato chips Vegetables
Potatoes Whole grains
Sugar-sweetened beverages Fruits
Unprocessed red meats Nuts
Processed meats Yogurt

Nutrient-Dense Source: Mozaffarian, D., Hao, T., Rimm, E., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2011). Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term
Items: food and weight gain in women and men. New England Journal of Medicine, 364, 2392–2404.
beverages that provide
vitamins, minerals, Choose Nutrient-Dense, Not Calorie-Dense Items
and other beneficial
substances with Nutrient-dense items include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, nonfat milk,
relatively few calories. and lean proteins that are prepared without added fat or sugar. Substituting these healthy