Assignment: Diet Analysis Project
The Diet Analysis Project is designed to:
• Assess recommendations for nutrient intake.
• Analyze nutrient intake for adequate intake of Choose My Plate Food groups.
• Describe food categories of ChooseMyPlate and unique characteristics and food belonging to each group.
Diet Analysis Project
Diet Analysis Project Instructions
This project will allow you to gather and analyze information on the foods you eat and the activites you perform throughout a three day period.
Objectives
Goal: This project will allow you to gather and analyze information on the foods you eat and the activités you perform throughout a three day period.
Objectives:
1. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the dietary goals and guidelines set for Americans by evaluating nutritional adequacy of diets using the USDA Food Guide, DRIs and online nutrition analysis software, Supertracker.
2.The student will use quantitative, analytical skills to evaluate and analyze nutrient analysés data using computer and emerging technologies effectively.
3. The student will synthesize information learned from previous course content to assess and analyze their dietary intake.
Step1: Record Food and Activity
You will choose three consecutive days, one weekend day and two weekdays, and record all of the foods you eat AND drink (even water) for the three days.
Be aware of portions, including beverages (ounces), Meats/Fish/Poultry (ounces) condiments such as ketchup, mayo, mustard, and salad dressing in teaspoons or tablespoons. Bread, fast foods, by portion such as 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 1 Big mac, 1 small McDonald's French fries. Vegetables in cups and fruits in cups (1/2 cup cooked broccoli or by item (one small apple). The more specific you are in completing your Food Record, the more accurate the results of your choosemyplate analysis.
Review the food groups on www.choosemyplate.gov (previously the Food Guide Pyramid). Explore the food groups and portions listed under each of the food groups. Explore oils and empty calories as well. There are pictures which provide a visual image of the portion size of some foods, assisting you in portion estimation for this project.
Step 2: Enter Foods Into Supertracker and Print Reports
1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Read the following handout before using Supertracker. Ten Tips for Supertracker
2. Register on SUPERTRACKER which is a part of the choosemyplate website . If you do not register, none of your data will be saved when you close your browser window..
Watch Video about making your profile on Supertacker HERE.
3. Enter the foods you consumed into the Food Tracker. You should have recorded your intake on the food record form to assist you in recalling portions and foods you consumed during the three days. Enter all foods AND fluids. Some foods may not be easily found. Check spelling if you do not find the food on the 1st search, use alternate but similar food items if you can not find the EXACT item. NOTE: You will not be submitting the food record form. It is simply a data collection tool.
Watch this video about entering foods into the Supertracker Program HERE
Note: You can change your calorie goal if you wish to lose or gain weight. Watch this video to see how to change your calorie goals HERE.
4. Enter all physical activity that you participated over the 3 days into the Physical Activity Tracker.
5. Once you have completed entering foods and physical activity.You will download the following Three day average reports: (remember to select the date ranges to include all 3 days).
1. Food Groups and Calories
2. Nutrients
3. Physical Activity
6. Save each 3 day average in an MS Word document format. At this point, combine all three reports into ONE MS word document.
7. You will then use the reports to complete your written summary portion of this assignment.
NOTE: Only one document will be graded. The last document uploaded, will be graded. Therefore you MUST combine all reports and the nutrient anaylsis written analysis as ONE document.
Step 3: Written Analysis of Nutrient Intake Reports
You will write an analysis of your dietary intake answering the questions stated below using all of your three days average data reports, your textbook, slides, and choose my plate.gov website. Do not use other websites to validate your conclusions. Use only the course provided resources and Choose My Plate website.
See examples for analysis for each of the reports below.
What is an analysis? Remember, an analysis is using the data (your reports) to make conclusions and validating your conclusions using references such above resources.
1. Food Groups and Calories Report
• Review your Food Groups and Calories Report and use the data to write a detailed analysis describing your intake from each of the food groups.
• For each of the food groups, discuss the reasons your intake either exceeds, meets or is below the your Target : Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, Protein Foods and include Oils, Total empty calories.
• For each of the food groups make suggestions where changes could be made to meet your Target amounts by including examples of foods you could increase or decrease your intake to better meet your target.
Example: My intake of fruits exceeded my target goals. I ate a serving of strawberries, an apple and 16 ounces of fruit juice which, according to Choosemyplate.gov, Fruit groups, put me over by 2 servings of fruit. I will reduce the portion of fruit juice by 8 ounces to decrease my servings from the fruit group.
2. Nutrients Report
Review your three day average Nutrients report and write an analysis of your Intake for all Macro and Micronutrients compared to your Target for each of them.
Use the textbook chapters and course content materials on Carbohydrates, Lipds, Protein, Vitamins and Minerals and cite references from the text to back up your analysis. In your analysis, use examples of foods you ate or did not eat that contributed to the deficiency, helped you meet your target, or contributed to excess intake.
• Provide SPECIFIC foods, not just food groups and State what the possible health risks are that are associated with your results.
Example: I was deficient in my calcium intake. I ate only 60% of my Target for calcium. I did not consume enough high calcium foods such as almond milk (Understanding nutrition pg. 403) or vegetables such as broccoli into my meals to increase the amount of calcium. If I do not consume enough calcium I could lose calcium from my bones causing osteoporosis in the future (Understanding Nutrition, pg. 404). I am lactose intolerant so it's difficult for me to get in enough calcium but, I could use soy and lactose free cheese since those are high calcium foods (Choosemy plate.gov, Dairy) I like to eat.
3. Physical Activity Report
Review your Physical Activity report and refer to the chapters in your text book on Energy Balance, Weight Management and Fitness to assist you in analyzing your physical activity. Use citations from your textbook to validate your responses. Include the following in your analysis.
• Summarize and assess the MIE data from your report. Be specific.
• What is the impact your current level of physical activity may have on your health over both the short term and long term?
• State how you could improve your activity level if you are under. If you meet or are over your MIE, state the long term benefits you will gain from your current activity.
• State future fitness goals.
• Include references to support your statements.
Example: My current activity based on my Physical Activity Report shows that my MIE is 60 MIEs. My goal is 150 MIEs. I need to include more moderate intensity activity to meet my goal of 150 MIEs per week. I also did not do any Muscle-Strengthing activities. I have been walking three times a week for 80 minutes but at a low intensity. I can increase my intensity by walking faster and including at least one more day a week into my activity schedule. I can include more muscle strengthening activities two days a week by lifting light weights for 15 minutes or gardening for 1 hour.
Increasing my intensity of walking will include aerobic activity. Aerobic activity can improve cardiorespiratory endurance (Understanding Nutrition, pg.442.) Muscle strengthening activity can improve bone mass. (Understanding Nutrition, pg 443.)
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.