Poor diet is a major contributor to the leading causes of chronic disease and death in the United States, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and stroke.
Although it is true that the obesity and chronic disease epidemics have complicated origins, the contribution of our current society's easy access to highly processed foods and low consumption of fresh and whole foods cannot be overemphasized. At the turn of the millennium, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey showed that less than 25% of Americans consumed the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and equally few were as physically active as was recommended. More recent studies have not shown much improvement in the low prevalence of healthy lifestyle practices.
The DASH Diet
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans were updated in 2010 and the DASH diet was highlighted as a guideline for healthy eating.[9] DASH has as its core the increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products. Fruits and vegetables are important because of the low-caloric and high-nutrient density of such foods and the satiating effects of fiber. Low-fat dairy consumption provides calcium that is needed for bone health and other health outcomes. Other components of DASH include nuts, legumes (dried beans and peas), whole grains, and limiting salt and added sugar intake.Nuts are rich in beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats and are high in fiber and protein. Legumes are a rich source of protein as well as fiber, and lean meats are important sources of protein. Grains provide an important source of energy and should be consumed mostly as whole grains, which will increase fiber consumption. The DASH diet also limits salt to 2300 milligrams per day and added sugar intake to 5 tablespoons per week for the average 2000-calories/day diet. Table 1 shows the recommended intakes of each of these food groups in servings per day for those who consume 2000 calories per day.
DASH Diet Food Group Servings for a 2000-Calories-Per-Day Diet
| Food Group | Target Serving | Examples of 1 Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Low-fat dairy | 2-3/day | 1 cup milk or yogurt |
| Grains (mostly whole) | 6-8/day | 1 slice bread 1 oz dry cereal 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal |
| Lean meats, poultry, fish | ≤6/day | 1 oz cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish 1 egg |
| Nuts/seeds/legumes | 4-5/week | 1/3 cup or 1 1/2 oz nuts 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds 1/2 cup cooked legumes |
| Fruits | 4-5/day | 1 medium fruit 1/4 cup dried fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit 1/2 cup fruit juice |
| Vegetables | 4-5/day | 1 cup raw leafy vegetables 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables |
