Media Contacts: Ryan O’Malley, Allison MacMunn
800/877-1600, ext. 4769, 4802 media@eatright.org

Large disparities exist in obesity and other chronic diseases across racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Are racial differences in diet, exercise, and weight status related to better knowledge about healthy eating and awareness of food-related health risks? Or are they more closely related to differences in socioeconomic status (SES)? A new study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds that people with a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be overweight, regardless of racial/ethnic background, and that the level of nutritional knowledge and health awareness did not lead to significant racial differences in weight and diet.

“Our findings suggest that disparities in obesity in the United States may be more affected by the broader social environment,” said authors Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, MS, director of the Johns Hopkins Global Center for Childhood Obesity and associate professor of International Health and Epidemiology, and Xialoi Chen, MD, PhD, MPH, assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. “Poor quality retail food environments in disadvantaged neighborhoods, in conjunction with limited individual economic resources, contribute to increased risk of obesity within ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.”

The authors hypothesized that between-group differences in nutrition- and health-related psychosocial factors, including nutrition knowledge and beliefs, are important contributors to the large racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences observed in U.S. adults’ dietary intakes, exercise and obesity. They analyzed nationally representative data collected from 4,356 individuals who had participated in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Continuing Survey of Individual Food Intakes, and who had completed the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey, which asks about self-perceptions of nutritional intake, awareness of the relationship between diet and health, perceived importance of following nutritional guidelines and other questions related to health and diet.

Each participant was asked 24 questions to evaluate nutrition and health-related psychosocial factors (NHRPF). SES was assessed using education and household income. The authors analyzed the relationship between NHRPF and SES with self-reported dietary intake, diet quality (measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Eating Index [HEI]), exercise participation, body mass index (BMI), and overweight or obesity. Changes in racial/ethnic differences in weight status were compared with diet and exercise participation.

In general, compared to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks had higher BMI and scored lower on the HEI, and were less likely to participate in exercise. Hispanics scored higher on the HEI. The racial and ethnic differences in diet and BMI changed little after controlling for NHRPF. But when SES was controlled for, the black–white differences in HEI became smaller and the white–Hispanic differences became greater.

“Our study shows several important findings that could help enhance the understanding of the complex factors that affect disparities in diet, exercise, and obesity across ethnic and SES groups,” commented Dr. Wang. “Different from what we expected, few of the racial/ethnic differences in diet, exercise, and weight status were explained by health- and nutrition-related psychosocial factors. But SES explained a considerable portion of the disparities.”

“The underlying causes of ethnic disparities in eating, exercise, and obesity in the United States are complicated. More well-designed studies with vigorous and comprehensive assessment of related factors are needed to help advance understanding.”

The article is “How Much of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Dietary Intakes, Exercise, and Weight Status Can Be Explained by Nutrition- and Health-Related Psychosocial Factors and Socioeconomic Status among US Adults?” by Y. Wang and X. Chen. It appears in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 111, Issue 12 (December 2012) published by Elsevier.

Fiber is a substance found only in plants, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.  The part of the plant that you eat is called dietary fiber.  Fiber passes relatively intact through the intestines and out of your body, which promotes intestinal health.

In addition, it lowers the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.  Fiber can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and help us feel fuller longer, which in turn can help with weight loss!

Fiber is classified into two categories: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber comes from the storage material of plants and is used to store water.  They are found in foods that are thought of as “starches” and are also known as pectins, gums, and mucilages.  Soluble fiber has been proven to help lower cholesterol, manage blood glucose levels, assist in weight control, and prevent as well as relieve constipation and diarrhea.  It’s found in grains, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, squash, lima and kidney beans, peas, bananas, mangoes, avocados, oranges, melons, and apples and pears.

Insoluble fiber, also known as roughage, helps digestion and promotes regularity by acting as a stimulant.  This can be beneficial for those with constipation.  Insoluble fiber is often found in plant foods that seem rough, stringy, with a tough skin, peel, or seeds.  They are also known as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignins.  These include whole wheat flour, seeds, nuts, popcorn, beans and lentils, unpeeled tree fruits, and cabbage.

On average Americans only consume between 10-15 grams of fiber, but the goal is 25-35 grams per day.  Here is a recipe  from Epicurious I’ve tried that can help you increase the fiber in your diet.

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2011 – First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.

The new healthful eating graphic for consumers.

“This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”

“With so many food options available to consumers, it is often difficult to determine the best foods to put on our plates when building a healthy meal,” said Secretary Vilsack. “MyPlate is an uncomplicated symbol to help remind people to think about their food choices in order to lead healthier lifestyles. This effort is about more than just giving information, it is a matter of making people understand there are options and practical ways to apply them to their daily lives.”

Originally identified in the Child Obesity Task Force report which noted that simple, actionable advice for consumers is needed, MyPlate will replace the MyPyramid image as the government’s primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. MyPyramid will remain available to interested health professionals and nutrition educators in a special section of the new website.

ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information. As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children. Later this year, USDA will unveil an exciting “go-to” online tool that consumers can use to personalize and manage their dietary and physical activity choices.

Over the next several years, USDA will work with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’sMove! initiative and public and private partners to promote MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate.gov as well as the supporting nutrition messages and “how-to” resources.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, launched in January of this year, form the basis of the federal government’s nutrition education programs, federal nutrition assistance programs, and dietary advice provided by health and nutrition professionals.

The Guidelines messages include:

Balance Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.

• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

• Make at least half your grains whole grains.

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers.

• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Coupled with these tested, actionable messages will be the “how-tos” for consumer behavior change. A multi-year campaign calendar will focus on one action-prompting message at a time starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

“What we have learned over the years is that consumers are bombarded by so many nutrition messages that it makes it difficult to focus on changes that are necessary to improve their diet,” said Secretary Vilsack. “This new campaign calendar will help unify the public and private sectors to coordinate efforts and highlight one desired change for consumers at a time.”

As part of this new initiative, USDA wants to see how consumers are putting MyPlate in to action by encouraging consumers to take a photo of their plates and share on Twitter with the hash-tag #MyPlate. USDA also wants to see where and when consumers think about healthy eating. Take the Plate [http://www.choosemyplate.gov/global_nav/media_resources.html] and snap a photograph with MyPlate to share with our USDA Flickr Photo Group [http://www.flickr.com/people/usdagov/].

For more information, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

For decades, Americans have been bombarded with conflicting arguments both for AND against this essential macronutrient. Should we eat them? Should we not? What kind of fat should we eat?

But the confusion stops here. My no-nonsense, easy to understand guide to all things fat will show you why breaking-up with your beloved fat is not the way to go.

Why do we need fat?
-Critical for the production of cells and hormones in our bodies
-Important for proper brain functioning
-Provides energy
-Regulates the nervous system
-Controls blood pressure, heart rate and blood clotting
-Essential for the absorption of vitamins (particularly A, D, E, K)

How much do we need?
The daily recommended consumption of total fat in our diet should fall between 20-35%, with 10% or less saturated fats and 1% or less trans fats.

So, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, and 30% of that is fat, you are consuming 600 calories of total fat in your diet.

A common misperception about fats is that the good-for-you fats are also lower in calories. While some fats are healthier than others, they all share the same caloric density (~9 calories per gram). But don’t let that scare you.

Who are the key players? (from worst to best)

Trans Fat
Why it’s the worst:
-Raises LDL (bad guy) cholesterol
-Lowers HDL (good guy) cholesterol
Found in: Stick Margarine; Baked goods; Fried foods; Any foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list

Saturated Fat
Why it’s bad:
-Raises LDL (bad guy) cholesterol
Found in: Animal fats (meat, whole milk, ice cream, cheese, butter); Certain plant oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)

Polyunsaturated Fat
Why it’s good:
-Lowers total cholesterol
Found in: Vegetable oils (safflower, corn, sunflower, soy oils)

Omega 3 Fatty Acids (type of polyunsaturated fatty acid)
Why it’s better:
-Lowers total cholesterol
-Lowers triglycerides
-Decreases blood clotting
-Decreases inflammation
Found in: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring), Walnuts, Flaxseeds (and flaxseed oil)

Monounsaturated Fat (MUFA)
Why it’s the best:
-Protects against heart disease (lowers LDL cholesterol, raises HDL cholesterol)
-Prevents obesity related diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome
-Maintains brain function
-Decreases inflammation
-Reduces risk of prostate cancer
-Targets stubborn belly fat
Found in: Oils (Canola, safflower, sesame, soybean, walnut, flaxseed, sunflower, olive and peanut oils); Olives; Nuts and Seeds; Avocados; Dark chocolate

Here’s a simple mantra to follow:

Instead of LOW/NO fat, think GOOD fat…and in moderation.

For an even more in-depth look at how fats can affect your health, check out my New York Times bestselling book, Flat Belly Diet! For Men.

.  And did I mention they’re also a powerful aphrodisiac?  

The rich, buttery taste of avocados can be attributed to their high content of oleic acid, a beneficial monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA).  In fact, two-thirds of the fat found in these fruits are MUFAs! 

While some consumers have chosen to avoid this superfood due to its fatty flesh, I’m here to tell you why the benefits of avocados far outweigh the common misperceptions:

Health Benefits:

-Improves cholesterol levels and heart health

One study found that after 7 days  participants with moderately high cholesterol levels who supplemented their diets with avocados had a significant decrease in LDL (bad) and total cholesterol levels, and increased HDL (good) cholesterol.

-Maintains eye health (due to high content of lutein)

-Aids in the absorption of antioxidants (particularly carotenoids)

-Good source of key vitamins and minerals: Vitamin E, K, B6, C, Folate, Copper, and Potassium (more than in a medium-sized banana!)

-High in fiber (~3g per serving)

-Targets belly fat

-Promotes satiety           

Avocados can be a delicious addition to salads and sandwiches…even smoothies!  And if you’re looking for a party-pleasing appetizer, then you’ll love my special homemade guacamole recipe!

Ten of the best weight loss strategies—ever!

-Jackie Newgent, RD

And when it comes to getting those coveted six-pack abs just in time for beach body season, there’s no better belly fat blaster than monounsaturated fatty acids (aka MUFAs). 

MUFAs are plant-based, healthy fats found in a variety of foods we eat.  Research shows that these fats in our diet are not only an effective weight loss tool, but they specifically target those trouble spots in our midsections to help break down stubborn belly fat. 

In my New York Times bestselling book, Flat Belly Diet! For Men, I’ve designed a proven program that shows eating 5 meals a day rich in monounsaturated fats can bring results in just four weeks.  And that’s without performing a single crunch or giving up your favorite steak.

Here are my Top 4 MUFAs for 6-Pack Abs: 

Avocado

Tip: Throw some in your omelets, sandwiches, salads, or whip up some homemade guacamole! 

Nuts & Seeds:

Tip: Create a tasty trail mix combo and add 2 Tbsp. to your morning bowl of oatmeal or yogurt. 

Oils:

Tip: Swap margarine for MUFA-rich olive or canola oils.   

Chocolate

Tip: Some science suggests 70% cacao or higher is best for more antioxidants.