Planning

• Appropriate diet


  Adequate and balanced, considers individual characteristics (age, stage of development, taste preferences, food habits)

  
• Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and registered nutrition and dietetic technicians (NDTRs)


  • Translate food, nutrition, and health information into food choices and diet patterns for groups and individuals

  
• Worldwide guidelines


  Standards that serve as guides for planning and evaluating diets and food supplies for individuals and population groups

  
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)


  Established international standards in many areas of food quality and safety, as well as dietary and nutrient recommendations

  
• DRI system


  Categories used for specific purposes among individuals or populations (AI, RDA, nutrient intakes between RDA and UL)
• Age group categories


  • Children
  • Adolescents
  • Men 51 to 70 years
  • Women 51 to 70 years
  • Over 70 years
  • Pregnancy 14-18 years
  • Pregnancy 19-30 years
  • Pregnancy 31-50 years
  • Lactation 14-18 years
  • Lactation 19-30 years
  • Lactation 31-50 years
• Reference men and women

  Requirement for many nutrients is based on body weight, according to reference heights and weights that are specific to gender and stage of life
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth charts


  Source of reference height and weight information used in determining the DRIs
• Although many genetic, environmental, behavioral, and cultural factors affect health, diet is equally important for promoting health and preventing disease
• Attention has been focused increasingly on the relationship between nutrition and chronic diseases and conditions
• This interest is prompted by the desire to prevent premature deaths from diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer
• Task of planning nutritious meals


  Including the essential nutrients in sufficient amounts as outlined in the most recent DRIs, in addition to appropriate amounts of energy, protein, carbohydrate (including fiber and sugars), fat (especially saturated and trans fats), cholesterol, and sodium

  
• Nutritionists


  Assist individuals in making food choices (e.g., to reduce saturated fat, to increase fiber) to help people select an eating pattern that achieves specific health promotion or disease prevention objectives

  
• Nutrition facts label


  Provides information on per-serving calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugar, and protein, and the percentage of the daily value (DV) supplied by a serving

  
• DVs are not recommended intakes for individuals; they are simply reference points to provide some perspective on daily nutrient needs and are based on a 2000-kcal diet

  
• Individuals who consume diets supplying more or fewer calories can still use the DVs as a rough guide to ensure that they are getting adequate amounts of nutrients, but not too much of others