diet analysis using the us fda supertracker website

8/11/2019 Diet Analysis Using the US FDA SuperTracker Website

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Julie Dais, Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC Page 1

Diet Analysis Using the US FDA

SuperTracker Website

OBJECTIVES To connect essential nutrients to their specific functions

To recognize the relationship between good or poor nutrition and health

To collect and analyze your own nutritional data and compare it to target values for yourage, gender and height to see if you are deficient in essential nutrients, calories and food

group items

To learn a number of approaches to determining healthy weight

To allow you to determine your own nutritional status and make good nutritional choices

in the future

INTRODUCTIONDiet and nutrition have recently become very hot topics. In the past thirty years the incidence of

diabetes and obesity has dramatically increased. The NIH Heart, Lung and Blood Instituteblames this on an energy imbalance: we consume more energy in the form of calories in than we

burn through activity and metabolic processes.

The diet industry has tried to capitalize on peoples natural desire for a quick fix for excess

weight. They say if you eliminate certain foods and eat others, you will lose weight ignoring thisenergy balance. For example, naturally occurring, saturated fats (butter) and oils (palm and

coconut) were vilified as dangerous sources of cholesterol and created paranoia around fat. This

fostered a whole new industry of light and fat-free foods. An interesting quote from an article in

Science (2001) titled The Soft Science of Dietary Fathad a quote that sums up our perception ofdietary fat. In America we no longer fear God or the communists, but we fear fat. Industry

reacted to the fear of saturated fats by switching to partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHOs)

lower in saturated fats in the manufacturing of processed foods. However, the hydrogenation

process resulted in the formation of trans-fats which we have now discovered are much worse

than saturated fats for raising levels of bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins) leading to heartdisease (atherosclerosis and hypertension). The US FDA now states that they no longer

recognize PHOs as safe and are moving to change laws so that companies would have to get

their approval to include PHOs in the manufacturing of food items (Nov. 2013).

Unfortunately, dietary decisions are being made with almost no hard science to back them up.

The controversy over the correct percentage of carbohydrate, fat and protein in our diets rages onand the diet industry has become a billion dollar industry. Popular diets, such as the Atkins Diet,

South Beach Diet, Hollywood Diet and the High Protein Diet, all severely restrict carbohydrate

intake with an increased protein intake. This forces the body to use fat as the main source ofenergy causing ketosis, a metabolic imbalance due to increased fat digestion. Ketosis can

produce side effects such as fatigue, nausea, dizziness, metabolic dehydration causing headaches,

and in some cases gout and acute kidney stress. The Zone Diet proposes a more moderate dietary

intake of approximately 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% low glycemic carbohydrate. The lack of


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hard science on any of the low carbohydrate diets prevents us from objectively evaluating their

value.

Lately there has been a movement away from grains, especially wheat as described in the diet

book Wheat Belly, by William Davis. Gluten-free products are on the rise due to fears of

allergies to wheat leading to gastrointestinal problems and celiac disease. In addition,

carbohydrates in general (good or bad) are being blamed for causing weight gain.

While the controversy over how much fat, protein, and carbohydrate (macronutrients) we should

consume rages on, the more important factor that all of these diets seem to overlook is what

effect they have on the intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These are essential nutrients,

ones we cannot make for ourselves (there are essential amino acids and lipids too) and arenecessary for proper long term metabolic health and body function. We can assume for the time

being that the US FDA Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) daily minimum requirements for

vitamins and minerals are correct. You will analyze your diet to see if these nutrients are within

the acceptable range.

The problem of obesity plagues a very large proportion of adult Americans. The initial analysis

of the data shows that overeating alone does not account for the problem. Those who are

overweight may not eat many more calories than those who are of normal weight. There are anumber of theories to try and explain this. Recognize that many of the studies on nutrition and

obesity involve mice and rats. We cant always assume that the findings from these studies will

also apply to humans.

Obesity Theories (NIH):

1. Sedentary lifestyle

Calorie intake and physical activity need to be considered. To maintain a constantweight, the calories expended by metabolism and physical activity should equal the

calories consumed. Over the past few decades Americans have generally reduced their

levels of physical activity in response to changes in the workplace and advances in time

saving technology. In addition, many adults and children spend much more time in front

of screens than participating in physical activity. We also tend to walk less and use ourcars for even short trips. The impact of such changes on metabolism and the

consequences for health are indeed complex and remain only partially understood. Since

the level of physical activity, as well as the amounts and types of food consumed are

matters of personal choice, obesity can sometimes be reversed.

2. Genetics and Epigenetics

There appears to be a genetic component to obesity as revealed by twin studies (higher

incidence with identical twins versus non-identical twins), but there also seems to be anepigenetic component. Consumption of high fat foods and chemical exposure during

pregnancy can alter the epigenome (methylation on chromosomes) of the fetus to modify

gene expression leading to more efficient energy storage in adipose cells. This is a new

area of research that may lead to promising obesity treatment and prevention.


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3. Environment

We are bombarded with advertisements for easily accessible fast food which is high in

salt and calories on a daily basis. Sometimes it is hard to find fresh fruit and vegetablesand the only option is fast food. Cooking healthy meals takes time and many of us have

long work days and long commutes. Sometimes external cues make a person want to eat

even if they are not hungry such as someone might eat a meal at a certain time whether or

not they are hungry. Other people may eat when under stress or when they are depressed.

4. Sleep-wake cycles and hormones

Studies are also demonstrating that people who dont get enough sleep at night are more

likely to be overweight. A number of hormones seem to be out of balance in these

individuals. Leptin, a hormone produced by adipose cells after a meal functions todecrease appetite. Its levels seem to be lower in people who do not get enough sleep.

Ghrelin, which is produced when you havent eaten in a while, is elevated in people who

do not get enough sleep. Therefore, it makes one feel hungrier than they should if they

had had enough sleep. It is important to note that insulin levels are also affected by

insufficient sleep and this is related to an increased risk of diabetes mellitus..

The overall concept though is that to maintain a steady weight, energy consumed must equal

energy expended (i.e. Calories in = Calories out). If you wish to gain weight, you eat morecalories than you burn and if you wish to lose weight you eat fewer calories than you burn. You

shouldnt reduce the calorie intake too much or your body may go into conservation mode. It is

best to increase activity level and not lose more than 1 2 pounds per week. We use the word

calories, but we really mean kilocalories (kcal).

Essential Nutrients of Importance

Iron is required for hemoglobin production and deficiencies can result in anemia. This

can affect vegetarians and females who are athletic, and/or pregnant. Iron can be

obtained in your diet by consuming meat such as beef, liver, poultry, clams, and oysters).There is some iron in other foods such as processed foods made with enriched flour,

legumes (beans and lentils) and dark green vegetables, but this form of iron is not as

readily absorbable. Cooking foods in cast iron pans also increases iron content.

Calcium is a mineral found in dairy products, bones of fish, legumes, and dark greenvegetables. Calcium is stored in our bones and is important for bone strength, but

calcium homeostasis in blood is vital for other functions such as muscle contractions

(including the heart), nerve transmission, and blood clotting. Bone density is sacrificed if

dietary calcium is low. Calcium deficient diets can result in osteoporosisor brittle bonesthat can lead to hip and vertebral fractures.

Water soluble vitamins are lost daily and must be obtained in your diet. These are

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the B Vitamins. Niacin (B3), Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin(B1) and folate (folic acid) are 4 important ones. They are important for many different

metabolic processes and deficiencies can lead to neurological problems (such as

numbness and weakness) and anemia among many disorders. Low maternal folate intake

during pregnancy has been linked to a spinal cord condition called spina bifida in the

newborn. Fat-soluble vitamins(A, D, K, and E) are stored in adipose cells and it isnt


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as important to meet requirements on a daily basis, but a 3-day average should meet the

recommended dietary intake.

Vitamin D, which aids in the uptake of calcium, is not sufficiently synthesized by the

body in the winter months and thus supplements are required to help prevent

osteoporosis. Additionally, vitamin D production can be hampered by sunscreen use.

Sources of vitamin D include sunlight, cod liver oil, fortified dairy products, and fortifieddairy alternatives such as soy milk.

Salt(NaCl) or sodium is an important nutrient in our bodies as both sodium and chloride

play roles in fluid balance. Additionally, sodium is important for the resting membrane

potential of muscles and neurons, so you need to have some sodium in your diet. Toomuch sodium may cause high blood pressure in some individuals.

Dietary fiber, derived from structural carbohydrates of plants, is not digestible by

humans and is found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and unrefined cereals (whole grain

bread and bran). Dietary fiber has the property of providing bulk to fecal matter,absorbing water and keeping feces soft (making us regular). The benefits of fiber in

the diet are a topic of debate. Past studies indicated that dietary fiber prevented colon

cancer. However, recent studies have dispelled this idea, although dietary fiber is veryimportant in preventing heart disease and regulating blood glucose levels. The amount

and type of fiber that is considered beneficial is still controversial (and very hard to

achieve in the diet), but for a young adult, 25-30 grams per day is recommended.

Essential fatty acids such as omega-3s found in leafy greens, seeds and nuts, oils fromflaxseed, canola, soy, and fish are important for reducing inflammation which helps

maintain cardiovascular health and joint function.

It is also important that people obtain the essential amino acids as well. If animalproducts are consumed, this isnt an issue. However, vegans need to ensure that they eat

vegetable, seed, legume, and whole grain combinations that supply all 20 amino acids.

Mutual supplementation (consuming at least two of these food groups with each meal)

is a method of ensuring this balance or protein energy malnutrition could result.

The Glycemic Index (GI) rates foods according to their effect on blood sugar/glucose levels

after consumption and thus in turn the effect on insulin levels. It is supported by hard science.

The Glycemic Index has shown that not all sugars are created equal. For example, the GI of

glucose = 100, the GI of Sucrose = 59, and the GI of Fructose = 20 (>55 high GI,


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Macronutrients that provide energy include carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), proteins(4 kcal/g), and

fats/oils (9 kcal/g). Vitamins, minerals, and fiber do not provide energy. Notice that fats and

oils store more than twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates and proteins. Targetpercentages for these 3 macronutrients vary depending on gender, age, and fitness regime so a

target range is given.

Fat 20-35%

Carbohydrates 45-65%Protein 10-25%

DIET ANALYSIS PROCEDURE:

Part 1: Record What You Eat on the Food Record Form

Record all of the items that you eat and drink on the Food Record Form for any twodays. Use one form per day. Estimate the portion size as accurately as possible. For

example, if you ate 1 Big Mac thats easy, just write that down. However, if you ate a

stir fry you need to record the estimated amount of each ingredient that you ate (1/2chicken breast, 1/4 red pepper, 10 snow peas, 1 carrot, 1 cup white rice). Note that it is

important to include % fat with dairy products.

(Note: 1 cup = 250 ml or 8 oz.; 1 oz. = 30 g)

Include any alcoholic drinks in your form too. Note that they may not have any other

nutrient value other than 7kcal/g. If you have mixed drink such as a rum and cola, then

you need to record the quantity of rum and the quantity of cola separately.

Also record any vitamins and mineral supplements you consume and keep the bottle

handy (or photograph it with your smartphone) so that you can include this in your

calculations later.

Part 2: Calculate Your Nutrient Intake and Food Group Servings

Go to the SuperTracker (US Department of Agriculture) website

https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspxYou will first need to create your profile to use this site (its free), but the benefit is that the

website will retain your information and you can track your diet over time.

Follow these steps: (input each day separately):

1. Choose Food Tracker. If you consume the same item regularly you could start withthe My Favorite Foods List tab and input commonly consumed items to make future

input go more quickly.

2. When you open up the Food Tracker, it will automatically be set to the present date.You can change the date in the upper left corner for your day 1 Food Record Form.

Search each food item by category and item and adjust for quantity. You can input

by meal, but that is not necessary. Once you have finish day 1, change the calendar to

a different day and input your items from your second food record form.
https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspxhttps://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspxhttps://www.supertracker.usda.gov/default.aspx


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3. Go to the top of the page and find the tab for My Reports and generate a report for

each day on Food Groups and Calories. Record your Daily Food Group Targets:

DAY 1 Your # of Servings Recommended # of Servings

Grains ____________ ____________

Dairy ____________ ____________Fruits ____________ ____________

Vegetables ____________ ____________

Proteins ____________ ____________

DAY 2 Your # of Servings Recommended # of Servings

Grains ____________ ____________

Dairy ____________ ____________

Fruits ____________ ____________

Vegetables ____________ ____________

Proteins ____________ ____________

4. Nutrient Intake Report. Go to My Reportsat the top of the webpage and generate

a single report that includes both of your dates for Nutrient (Intake) Reports. This

report will give you more details regarding your energy, fiber, vitamin and mineralintake. Choose the dates that you want to include in the report and print for future

reference.

a. From your Nutrient Intake Reportaverage for two days, record the following:

Your % Recommended %

% kcal carbohydrate __________% __________%

% kcal protein __________% __________%

% kcal total fat __________% __________%

% kcal saturated fat __________% __________%

b. Record your Daily CalorieIntakes:

Day 1 ______________ kcal

Day 2 ______________ kcal

c. List the vitamins that did not reach target levels.


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d. List minerals that did not reach target levels.

e. Dietary Fiberaverage eaten = _____________ g

Part 3: Determine Your Daily Energy (kcal) Requirement

Use the SuperTracker feature called My Physical Activity Tracker to calculate your daily

energy requirement fairly accurately. This is a time consuming process, but again you can

store your common activities in the My Favorite Activity List. You can even includeactivities such as doing laundry or walking up stairs and the tracker will give you an

indication of the benefits you are receiving during that activity. Try it out!

A simple way to approximate the number of kilocalories you require on an average day is tomultiply your weight in kilograms by one of the following factors:

X 26 Inactive You do nothing actively

X 31 Mildly active You ride to work and sit at workX 35 Medium active Teacher or mother of small children

X 40 Active On the move most of the time

X 44 Very active Physical worker plus extra exercise

(pounds to kg conversiondivide weight in pounds by 0.454 to give weight in kg)http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-kilograms.htm

If you are inactive or mildly active but spend an hour per day playing a sport or working out,

you should raise your activity level at least one category.

Your calculated energy requirement is: ___________ kcal/day

Part 4: Determining Your BMI, Waist Circumference and Percent Body Fat

There are a number of ways of determining if you are at a healthy weight.

You can access the charts and procedures for determining BMI and waist circumference at The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site below:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/

1.

The BMI or Body Mass Index is a ratio of your weight to height. BMI is often used todetermine if one is at a healthy weight, underweight, overweight or obese. However, it

cannot distinguish between lean muscle and fat, and doesnt take into account activity level,

gender, pregnant or nursing women, or children under the age of 18. Thus a healthy bodybuilder or strength-oriented athlete could have a BMI indicating they are overweight or

obese.
http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-kilograms.htmhttp://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-kilograms.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-to-kilograms.htm


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BMI

Underweight 30

Obtain your BMI from the website = _____________Under which category do you fall? _______________________

2. Waist circumferenceis a quick way to determine if you are at a healthy weight. It seems tobe a more reliable indicator of increased risk of developing health problems than BMI.

Measure just above your hip bone after exhaling. Make sure tape is snug but not cutting in.

Women 35 inches or less

Men 40 inches or lessWhat is your waist circumference? __________

3. Optional: Determination of body composition, fat versus lean muscle mass, is anotherindicator of a healthy weight. Bioelectrical impedance analysis and skin fold tests are two

simple methods of determining the % body fat in an individual.

If the equipment is available and time permits, determine your % body fat. ______%


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DIET ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT TO HAND IN

You will need to hand in:

3 food record forms (initial 2 days tracked plus the healthy diet plan created at the end of theassignment)

two Nutrient Intake Reports generated from the SuperTracker

1.

includes the two days tracked as previously described2. plus a redesigned, healthy meal plan created at the end of this assignment

Answers to the following questions:

1. Total Calorie IntakeCompare your total daily calorie (kcal) intake to what is required by the average person

of your gender, weight, and activity level. Are you meeting, exceeding, or under your

daily calorie needs to maintain weight? Explain.

2. Daily Food Group TargetsDid you meet your daily food group targets? Which ones are you low in? What specific

foods could you add to your diet to meet each food group targets?

3. Nutrient Intake Averages over Two DaysHow closely does your diet fit the % targets for carbohydrate, protein, total fat, and

saturate fat? Explain.

4. Vitamin and Mineral Intake AnalysisExamine your Nutrient Intake Report. Compare your average vitamin and mineral intake

to the target values. Which vitamins and minerals are deficient in your diet? (Pay close

attention to calcium and iron levels if you are female.)

Now look at your vitamin and mineral supplement information and add these values tothe report values for the ones you were deficient in. Does this bring your levels up to

target levels for each deficient vitamin or mineral?

Besides supplements, explain how could you modify your diet to obtain these deficient

nutrients? If your diet is already meeting your nutritional needs, then list foods you

consume and the important nutrients they provide.

5. Compare your fiber intake to the recommended values given in your nutrient intakereport. If your consumption is low, what foods could you add to your diet to increase

your daily fiber? If your fiber intake is sufficient, then list the foods you ate that were

high in fiber.

6. List the sources offats and oils you consume. Which would be considered healthy?

Explain. Which types of fats and oils are considered unhealthy? Why?

7. Comment on your salt intake(NaCl). If it is high, which food items contributed large

amounts of salt? Besides reducing the amount of salt we add to foods with the saltshaker, how else can one reduce their salt intake?


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8. According to the methods employed are you at healthy weight? Do these methods give

you similar reports of your health in relation to your weight? If not, explain. Whichmethod is most accurate?

9. Based on what you have learned in this assignment, design a healthy meal plan for one

day using a new food record form and analyze it. Make sure it would supply the nutrientsyou were deficient in earlier. Also, take into account the daily food group targets forgrains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein, as well as your energy needs (calories).

Now take this healthy meal plan and input it into SuperTracker. Hand in this new food

record form and the healthy diet nutrient intake report printout as well.

References

Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH. Retrieved December 6, 2013.http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html

The Soft Science of Dietary Fat. Taubes, Gary. 2001. Science Magazine.http://www.sciencemag.org/content/291/5513/2536 http://www.diabetes-

book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdf

Thompson, J., Manore, M., Sheeshka, J. (2012). Nutrition: A Functional Approach

(Second Canadian Edition). Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada.

US FDA Dietary Reference Intake Tableshttp://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tables

What Causes Overweight and Obesity? NIHhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.htmlhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.htmlhttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/291/5513/2536http://www.sciencemag.org/content/291/5513/2536http://www.diabetes-book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdfhttp://www.diabetes-book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdfhttp://www.diabetes-book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdfhttp://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tableshttp://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tableshttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.htmlhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.htmlhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.htmlhttp://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tableshttp://www.diabetes-book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdfhttp://www.diabetes-book.com/articles/SoftScience.pdfhttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/291/5513/2536http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html


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FOOD RECORD FORM: Date: ________________

If you are consuming foods such as home-made stir fries with many individual ingredients,include the quantity consumed of eachingredient. Possible units to use: cups, ounces,

tablespoons, teaspoons, estimated size of fruit or vegetable (medium or large), packages (i.e.

ketchup at fast-food restaurant).

Food Item Quantity

Students will need 3 copies

of this food record form


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Food Item Quantity


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Food Item Quantity

diet analysis using the us fda supertracker website

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