New dietary
guidelines
shake it up

Question: Why do the guidelines include exercise?

Answer: With so many people in the nation dealing with excess body fat, nutritionists now realize that you can't talk about diet without considering physical activity. Even a healthy diet can cause weight gain and obesity if more calories are consumed than are burned up each day. Perhaps the next edition of the guidelines will be called Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

In addition to weight control, physical activity helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and osteoporosis. It even benefits psychological health and can reduce feelings of mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

Q: Why not just cut back on calories?

A: Increased physical activity allows people to eat more, which makes it much easier to obtain the nutrients needed by the body. Sedentary people with low calorie needs must be more careful to eat only foods very high in vitamins and minerals to meet their nutrient needs without dietary supplements. Even with supplements, it can be difficult for some people to consume enough dietary fiber and protein for good health if exercise is not part of the formula.

Q: When people exercise more, won't they just eat more?

A: Surprisingly, most studies on the effects of exercise on calorie intake find that people typically do not increase their calorie intake enough to match the increased expenditure. Consistent physical activity on most days of the week typically results in a gradual, steady loss of body fat and maintenance of normal body fat.

Q: How much physical activity is recommended?

A: The guidelines suggest a minimum of 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity. This is in addition to usual activity at work or home.

For greater health and weight-control benefits, the guidelines recommend moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity for 60 minutes per day on most days of the week. To sustain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity could be needed along with normal calorie intake.

Q: What types of physical activity are recommended?

A: To achieve a state of overall fitness, the guidelines recommend aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging or cycling for cardiovascular conditioning, combined with stretching exercises for flexibility and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength.

Overall, the guidelines encourage most Americans to eat fewer calories, make wise food choices and keep a "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."