USApple Applauds USDA/HHS for Issuing Ground-Breaking Guidelines New Dietary Guidelines encourage more Fruits, Vegetables and Physical Activity

USApple Applauds USDA/HHS for Issuing Ground-Breaking Guidelines
New Dietary Guidelines encourage more Fruits, Vegetables and Physical Activity

Vienna, VA – The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released yesterday and recommend Americans fill half of their plate with fruits and vegetables. The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) applauds their effort to help Americans eat better by providing key recommendations for a healthy diet.

“The U.S. apple industry is ready and able to help Americans get on the path to health and wellness by providing them with healthy, nutritious, and delicious apples and apple products. We are encouraged by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and support any national effort that seeks to improve Americans’ diets—especially those that increase fruit and vegetable consumption,” states Allison Parker, MS, RD, Director, Consumer Health and Education for USApple.

The USApple submitted written comments back in July, 2010 in response to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC) Report that helped in the development of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Those comments were heard and many of the things USApple encouraged the USDA and HHS to consider when planning and executing the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, were expressed in the Report, including:
• Using the “half-plate” concept to encourage greater fruit and vegetable consumption;
• Translating the report into actionable, easy to understand, compelling and strong messages that encourage Americans to change their dietary habits, evident by these selected messages for consumers ;
• Adding information about eating behaviors and how the broader environment must support healthy eating in order for consumers to be successful; and
• Focusing on children to help improve the health of our younger generation and generations to come.

This is the first time the guidelines will set out to specifically tackle the issue of obesity, considered to be the greatest threat to public health in this century, and there is a major focus on America’s youth throughout the Report. The Dietary Guidelines are issued and updated every 5 years by the USDA and HHS. They provide authoritative advice about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. They are also the basis for many Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. To view the press release, jointly issued by the USDA and HHS, click here.

For more information about the U.S. Apple Association, please visit www.usapple.org.