caneatingfruitsandvegetableshelppeopletomanagetheir.pptVIP

Can eating fruits and vegetables help people to manage their weight? There are many proposed strategies for losing or maintaining weight. This presentation looks at only one strategy: substituting low-energy-dense fruits and vegetables for foods with high energy density in order to lower the number of calories consumed. References to all studies are in “Can fruits and vegetables help people to manage their weight?” in the CDC Web site: /nccdphp/dnpa and in the notes in this electronic PowerPoint presentation. What Is Energy Density? It is the relationship of calories to weight of food (i.e.,calories per gram). All foods are in one of three categories: High-energy-dense foods: 4-9 calories per gram (e.g., cookies, crackers, butter, bacon) Medium-energy-dense foods: 1.5-4 calories per gram (e.g., bagels, dried fruits, hummus, part-skim mozzarella) Low-energy-dense foods: 0.0-1.5 calories per gram (e.g., most fresh fruits and vegetables, fat-free yogurt, broth-based soups) Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005) “…calorie-lowering strategies include eating foods that are low in calories for a given measure of food (e.g., many kinds of vegetables and fruits and some soups).” “…make substitutions to avoid excessive calorie intake.” Volume, Density, and Calories in Weight Management Feeling full is one reason people stop eating. Volume affects the feeling of being full. Low-energy-dense foods have fewer calories than the same volume of high-energy-dense foods. People who eat low-energy-dense foods can feel full while eating fewer calories. Water and fiber increase volume and reduce energy density. Fruits and vegetables have high water and fiber content and are relatively low in calories and energy density. Conclusion: Fruits and vegetables are good substitutes for high-energy-dense foods in a weight management program. So how do people lose weight? To lose weight people must consume fewer calories than they expend. Eating fewer calories is difficu