Dietary GuidelinesU.S. Dairy Industry Supports Direct Approach to Visualizing a Healthy Diet: June 2, 2011 The shape may have shifted from pyramid to plate, but the message remains the same: dairy is an important part of the daily diet, for adults and children alike.
For that reason, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and other dairy organizations today praised the USDA’s new MyPlate education tool, which provides a clear and visual message that a healthy diet is comprised of a variety of nutrient-rich foods, including low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt. America’s dairy farmers and processors commended the USDA for including a light blue circle depicting a serving of “Dairy” – milk, cheese, or yogurt – next to the dinner plate to illustrate how to build a healthy eating plan, including a serving of dairy at every meal. “Dairy foods are rightfully being recognized -- from the school house to the White House -- as an important part of everyone’s diet,” noted NMPF President and CEO Jerry Kozak. “USDA’s new MyPlate, the simple visual metaphor of a serving of dairy products alongside a plate, says it’s vital to consume three servings of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods every day.” Read the full press release.
Joint Dairy Industry Statement on the Release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: January 31, 2011 New Federal Dietary Guidelines Call for Americans to Increase Their Consumption of Low-Fat and Fat-Free Dairy Foods The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) encourages 3 daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products for adults and children nine years and older. For children ages 4-8, the recommendation was increased from 2 to 2.5 servings, and for children ages 2-3, the recommendation remains 2 servings. Most Americans fail to meet these recommendations, even though they have been previously established by the DGA and supported by independent health organizations. The DGA emphasizes the importance of establishing good milk drinking habits at a young age, as those who consume milk at an early age are more likely to do so as adults. Today the U.S. dairy industry joins the federal government in urging most Americans to add one more serving of low-fat and fat-free dairy each day as they strive for healthier lifestyles that reflect DGA recommendations. According to the DGA, current evidence shows intake of milk and milk products is linked to improved bone health, especially in children and adolescents. In addition, intake of milk and milk products is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and lower blood pressure in adults. The dairy food group (milk, cheese and yogurt) is a substantial contributor of many nutrients in the U.S. diet that are important for good health, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and riboflavin. And milk is the number one food source of three of the four nutrients the DGA identified as lacking in the American diet – calcium, vitamin D and potassium. The new DGA includes a variety of dietary patterns that support a healthy lifestyle, and dairy foods fit for most everyone. For those who are sensitive to lactose, the DGA recommends low-lactose and lactose-free milk products. For those who follow vegetarian diets, the DGA recommends milk and other dairy foods because they supply essential nutrients that can be hard to get from other foods. One dairy serving is equal to an 8-ounce glass of white or flavored milk, an 8-ounce cup of yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese. The DGA emphasizes choosing lower fat options, and there are many affordable and appealing products in the marketplace. The dairy industry is working with farmers, dairy foods companies and consumers to develop an even wider array of products -- including cheeses with lower sodium and fat levels and flavored milk with less added sugar -- that can help Americans meet the 2010 DGA recommendations without compromising on taste.
NMPF CEO Comments on 2010 Dietary Guidelines: August 2010 Jerry Kozak discusses the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in the August 2010 CEO's Corner, "Food Politics".
NMPF Comments on 2010 Dietary Guidelines: July 15, 2010 NMPF submitted comments on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines in response to the June 15, 2010 release of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (DGAC Report). The Dietary Guidelines, which form the basis of federal food, nutrition education, and information programs, are issued and updated by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services every five years. Three servings of dairy products per day (two for younger children) remain a core recommendation for the Dietary Guidelines. NMPF coordinated efforts with the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Dairy Council to have consistent messages on the importance of dairy product consumption in the American diet.
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