Panel: Obesity is century’s greatest public health threat

While I agree with some of these guidelines — but most of the actual food ones, I call foul! As you know – I am a believer in the Paleo view on eating: lean meats, nuts, berries, fruits, veggies. Clean eating at its purest — no wheat products anywhere! Now I don’t follow it 100% all the time — but it’s my main approach to eating and i have never felt better.

The final 2010 dietary guidelines will be released later this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services.

About two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. The advisory committee highlighted four major steps:

•Reduce excess weight and obesity by cutting calorie intake and increasing physical activity.

•Shift to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Increase the intake of seafood and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and eat only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and eggs.

•Significantly reduce intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats, which contribute about 35% of the calories in the American diet. Cut sodium intake gradually to 1,500 milligrams a day and lower intake of refined grains, especially those with added sugar, solid fat and sodium.

•Meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Those recommend that adults get at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, such as brisk walking, or 1¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity, such as jogging or swimming laps, or a combination of the two types. Children and teens should do an hour or more of moderate-intensity to vigorous physical activity each day.

The report calls for many changes in the food environment, including:

•Improve nutrition literacy and cooking skills, and motivate people, especially families with children, to prepare healthy foods at home.

•Improve the availability of affordable fresh produce through greater access to grocery stores, produce trucks and farmers’ markets.

•Encourage restaurants and the food industry to offer health-promoting foods that are low in sodium; limited in added sugars, refined grains and solid fats; and served in smaller portions.