FDA guidelines? - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

Magpiezoe · 02-13-2002, 06:24 AM

Hello, I got curious about the FDA guidelines the one night, because it just seems like there is too much food for me to eat on the FDA's food pyramid. I noticed that their guidelines are based on a 2000 cal. diet. When my father had hospital nutritionists and doctors consult him as to how much he should be eating, they would suggest 1200 cal. for his inactive times and 1500 cal. for his active times. When I checked the cart in one of my books, it stated that 2000 cal. would be for a 140 lbs. man or a 160 lbs. woman. I can't imagine me weighting 160 lbs. at 5'3". One of my coworkers was following the FDA guidelines and couldn't understand why she gained weight instead of loosing weight. I told her that 2000 cal. is too much for us women and that the guidelines are based on the average American male. I feel like women are ignored when it comes to the FDA and nutritional guidelines. Even the percentages listed on the labels are geared toward the FDA 2000 cal. diet. I guess I just wanted to talk and see what other people think.

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Magpie

arkie6 · 02-13-2002, 08:31 AM

The food guide pyramid was not developed by the FDA, but by the USDA - the United States Department of Agriculture. And it was developed with economic interests in mind, not your health. There is really no scientific basis for the carbohydrate/protein/fat recommendations in that guideline. There is some basis for the total calorie recommendations though.

And I would have to say that 2000-2500 calories per day is resonable for someone of normal size and normal metabolism. Now if you've slowed your metabolism because of yo-yo dieting and calorie restriction, then 2000 calories will likely cause a weight gain. I'm a 6'0" guy that weighs 185# and I typically eat 2000-4000 calories per day without gaining. But I don't eat according to the USDA guidelines either or I would gain weight because the recommendation to eat 60% of my calories as carbohydrate would cause such an insulin rush and result in significant fat synthesis.

Alan

dvdmon · 02-13-2002, 11:02 AM

The food pyramid (and most government recommendations regarding diet), as Alan mentions, has nothing to do with health. Your question illustrates this pretty well. I mean, we are all different, not only in shape and size, but in how our metabolisms work based on many variables, some being genetic, some being acquired (like yo-yo dieting affects). The problem is that the government, dieticians, some doctors, and even many weight loss authors and companies have this idea of "one size fits all." They have their own theories of what foods are healthy to eat and which will allow for healthy weight loss and maintenance of that loss, but many are simply stuck as if their chosen eating plan is THE one and everyone should have success on it. Life just doesn't work that way. This is why we all need to stop looking at one person's (or the gov't's) recommendations and try different approaches out for ourselves to see which one works best for us.

blondiebiker · 02-13-2002, 11:24 AM

agreed...and they are "recommended" not a total guide to go by...I also believe too high in the carbs area....but remember as well I believe when this was put together...most people and children were a lot more active then today...kids still rode their bikes a lot and weren't computer game sitting in front of their t.v's computers all the time, and more people got out and did stuff then do today...in theory....
so I think that may have something to do with it as well....plus still back in the day when carbs were the good guy...not the enemy as many are finding now...
also before so many processed foods which I think is a huge problem in many peoples diets.

just my 2cents