FCS3-562FG
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices:
Focus on Nutrient Dense Foods and Beverages
Facilitator Guide
Description of Program and Background Information
The dietary guidelines provide advice for making food choices that promote good
health, a healthy weight, and ways to help prevent disease. These guidelines are for
individuals 2 years of age and older. Children under 2 years of age are not included because
their nutritional needs and eating patterns vary by their developmental stage and differ
substantially from those of older children and adults. The advice is based on scientific
evidence and is used to communicate healthy eating and physical activity messages and
programs to the public.
One of the two main concepts of the Dietary Guidelines is to focus on nutrient-dense
foods and beverages.
Americans currently consume too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats,
added sugars, and refined grains. These replace nutrient-dense foods and beverages and
make it difficult for people to achieve recommended nutrient intake while controlling calorie and
sodium intake. A healthy eating pattern limits intake of sodium, solid fats, added sugars, and
refined grains and emphasizes nutrient-dense foods and beverages—vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans
and peas, and nuts and seeds (2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans).
This program uses a critical thinking approach to help individuals think about their
behavior and it provides tools of empowerment, problems solving, goal setting, and reflection
to encourage behavior change (Adams, 2010).
Objectives
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•
•
•
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Define nutrient density
Distinguish between nutrient and non-nutrient dense food choices
Recite the benefits of eating/making nutrient dense food choices
Discuss the qualities/characteristics of nutrient and non-nutrient dense food choices
Include nutrient dense food choices in meals and snacks each day
PAC CODE: 210 - Making Beneficial Lifestyle Choices
Priority Indicators:
• Number of individuals who experience a change in knowledge, opinions, skills, or
aspirations regarding lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) that improve personal
health.
• Number of individuals who make lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) for the purpose
of improving their health.
• Of the total number of families/caregivers reached _(insert number)_, the number that
gained knowledge about eating more of healthy foods. _(insert number)_
•
Of the total number of families/caregivers reached _(insert number)_, the number that
reported eating more of healthy foods. _(insert number)_
This program is a part of the Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Initiative. It focuses on
behaviors outlined in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Target Audience: Young adults, adults
Group Size: 8 to 15
Materials and Equipment:
• Pens or pencils for all participants
• A place to write participant responses (flip chart, chalkboard with chalk)
• Marking pens
• Name tags
• Prizes or incentives
• PowerPoint presentation
• Computer and projector
• Food items – broccoli, celery, orange, iceberg lettuce, ready to eat oatmeal in pack, 100
percent juice, grapes, peanut, cereal bar, potato chips, powdered drink mix(plastic
bottle).
Handouts:
• Focus on Nutrient Dense Food and Beverages, FCS3-559
• 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series: Focus on Fruits http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet3FocusOnFruits.pdf
• 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series: Add more Vegetables to your Day
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet2AddMoreVegetables.pdf
• Participant evaluation
Preparation and Presentation
• Read thorough the program and materials
• Print handouts
• Purchase food items for the Nutrient Density Game or use appropriate food models
• Set up Nutrient Density Game
Session Overview
• What are nutrient dense foods?
• How to choose nutrient dense foods
• What makes foods nutrient dense
• Nutrient dense choices
Lesson Introduction
Welcome
• Welcome participants and have them introduce themselves.
• Ice-breaker: Food Recall (handout)
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View Nutrient Density PowerPoint presentation
Take time for discussion and conduct activities as you follow the presentation.
Complete evaluation
STIMULUS
Ask:
Have you ever thought that you would like to eat healthier foods but did not know where to
begin? Have you thought about losing weight but did not know where you can find guidelines
for doing so? Or, have you wondered what you should eat to reduce your risk of heart disease,
stroke, and cancer?
Share:
In this session you will learn about nutrient dense food choices. These sessions are meant to
be interactive and fun, and allow you to think about your food choices. The overall goal is to
improve your health, well-being and quality of life.
At the end of today’s program you should be able to:
• Define nutrient density
• Distinguish between nutrient and non-nutrient dense food choices
• Recite benefits of eating/making nutrient dense food choices
• Discuss the qualities/characteristics of nutrient and non-nutrient dense
• Include nutrient dense food choices in meals and snacks each day
Today, we are going to discuss the term nutrient density. What does the term nutrient
density mean to you? ( Allow time for participants to respond.)
Each day we are bombarded with a range of food choices — pizza, chips, fruit,
vegetables, candy, doughnuts, and ice-cream. Should we have doughnuts and coffee for
breakfast or oatmeal with blueberries? How do we decide between a pizza and a tossed salad
for lunch?
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Discuss some of the following reasons for making food choices.
Ask:
What factors influence your choice of food?
Allow time for discussion.
See Diagram 1 below.
Diagram 1
* Family
* Childhood experiences
* Peers * Ethnic background *
Education
* Occupation * Income * Religious
beliefs
* Rural vs. Urban residence
* Food composition, convenience,
and availability * Nutritional beliefs
* Food flavor, texture, and
appearance
* Health beliefs * Current health
status
* Advertising and media * Moods
Ask:
What is a nutrient dense food choice?
Share:
Nutrient dense foods are foods that provide a high amount of nutrients and relatively few
calories.
Ask:
Why is it important to make nutrient dense choices?
• We have a certain number of calories we need each day. The number of calories
needed is based on age, gender, level of activity, and state of health. See HandoutHow Many Calories Can I Have?
• We also have a certain nutrients we need to eat each day in order to maintain health.
• Making nutrient dense choices help us get the nutrients needed for good health within
the calorie range that we need.
Share: Handout- Typical Diet Intake Goals
Many of us do not make nutrient dense food choices. Let’s look at Comparison of
Consumption to Recommendation
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The chart shows how the average American diet compares to recommendations found
in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, seafood, and
oils are consumed below recommended amounts. Nutrients of concern are fiber, potassium,
calcium, and vitamin D. Note that the consumption of these nutrients are also far below the
recommended daily amount.
Note that the intake shown for vitamin D only includes food sources, not supplements or
vitamin D manufactured in response to sun exposure.
Additional Information:
Good sources of potassium include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, peas, beans, potatoes,
sweet potatoes and winter squash.
Fruits such as cantaloupe, bananas, kiwi, prunes, and apricots are good sources of potassium.
All meat and fish, milk and dairy products provide potassium.
Good sources of calcium include milk and dairy products, and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin D is found in fatty fish (salmon, tuna and mackerel) and beef liver. Foods may be
fortified with vitamin D so be sure to check the Nutrition Fact Label.
Ask:
How do you know if a food is nutrient dense?
Nutrient dense foods have:
• Little added solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening or lard
• Little added sugar
• Little added refined starch, often found in white bread, bagels, and croissants
• Little added sodium from salt and preservatives
• Naturally occurring components such as fiber have not been removed through
processing
Note:
• Low calorie means the food supplies 40 kcal or less per serving.
• Low fat means the food contains 3 g or less fat per serving. 2% milk is not “low fat,”
because it has more than 3 g of fat per serving. The term reduced fat can be used to
describe 2% milk.
• Reduced or less fat means the food supplies less than 25 percent of the fat per serving
than the referenced food.
• Reduced sugar means the food contains at least 25 percent less sugar per serving than
the referenced food.
Share:
Even if you do not know the nutrients present in certain foods you should remember that
fruits, vegetables, fat-free milk, orange juice, lean meats, and whole-grain products are more
nutrient dense particularly in their natural forms.
Candy, pastries, chips, bacon, and sugar sweetened beverages are foods that are less
nutrient dense. These foods contain added sugar, solid fats, and refined starch and they
provide few essential nutrients
EMPOWERMENT
Have participants look at the food recall they completed at the beginning of today’s
program and circle the nutrient dense choices they made.
Share with the group the nutrient dense choices you made.
Reflection
Have participants look at their food recall once again.
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Ask:
Was there a time when you opted for a non-nutrient dense food, when you could have
chosen one that was nutrient dense?
Can you share with the group the non-nutrient dense food and a nutrient dense choice you
made to replace it?
CRITICAL RESPONSE
How can I make nutrient dense choices each day?
Diagram 2
Source: United States Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
(2010). p. 47. Accessed June 15 from
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/dietaryguidelines/2010/policydoc/chapter5.pdf
Share:
This chart illustrates the concept of nutrient-dense foods. (It is found in chapter 5 of the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans policy document.) The full length of the bars corresponds to
the number of calories in a serving of the foods listed on the far left, which are not in nutrientdense forms. The dark-green portion of the bars shows the number of calories that would be
in the same food if it was in its nutrient-dense form. The lighter green portion shows how many
additional calories are attributable to the naturally occurring solid fat in the ground beef, the
breading and the frying fat in the chicken, the added sugars in the cornflakes, the frying fat in
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the potatoes, the added sugars in the applesauce, and the naturally occurring fat in the milk.
The foods listed in the dark-green portions of the bars are all foods in their nutrient dense form.
Foods in figure:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Regular ground beef patty, 236 calories; extra lean ground beef patty, 184 calories; and
beef fat, 52 calories
Breaded fried chicken strips, 246 calories; baked chicken breast, 138 calories; and
breading and frying fat, 108 calories
Frosted cornflakes, 147 calories; cornflakes, 90 calories; added sugars 57 calories
Curly French fried potatoes, 258 calories; baked potato, 117 calories; frying fat, 141
calories
Sweetened applesauce, 173 calories; unsweetened applesauce, 105 calories; added
sugars, 68 calories
Whole milk, 149 calories; fat-free milk, 83 calories; milk fat, 66 calories
Ask:
How can you choose nutrient dense beverages?
Share:
Read the Nutrition Facts Label to see the nutrient density for the beverage. For example,
choose beverages that are low in calories, salt, sugar, and fat (3 grams or less fat per serving)
and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber (5 or more grams fiber per serving).
Ask:
What are some barriers to eating nutrient dense foods?
• Allow participants to share the barriers they experience in consuming nutrient dense
foods and beverages.
Ask:
Can you think of ways to overcome the barriers?
• See previous suggestions.
Play Nutrient Density Game
• Place food in the center of the table.
• Ask participants to place the food in the correct order from most nutrient dense to the
least nutrient dense.
• Allow 5 minutes for the placement of food.
• Go through the list of most nutrient dense to least nutrient dense foods.
• Explain to participants the reason for listing the foods in the particular order. Make the
point that the most nutrient dense foods are fresh fruits and vegetables. The dark green,
yellow/orange, cruciferous vegetables tend to be higher in nutrient content.
• Whole grain, and fat-free dairy are also nutrient dense.
• Emphasize that foods processed or those that contain sugar, fat, salt, or are refined
tend to be less nutrient dense.
• Important: Remind participants that a food could be nutrient dense, but if fat and sugar
are added when cooking or preparing the food the nutrient density can be lowered.
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REMEMBER!
Stay active
Getting all of the nutrients you need isn’t the only thing necessary for good health.
Guidelines for good health also recommend being physically active for at least 30 minutes
most days of the week. This can include anything from walking at work to working in a garden
or going for a swim. Physical activity does not always mean going to the gym or running a
mile, it can also be enjoying some playtime with your kids, cleaning house, or going for a walk
with friends. Some tips for staying physically active include:
• Find something that you enjoy, if you like to garden, plant some vegetables or herbs.
• Plan the time. Many people have very busy lives, but if you set aside the time to be
physically active, you are much less likely to skip it.
• Have exercise partners, if you like to walk, turn your walk into time with family or friends.
Being committed to this time with someone else will give you more incentive to get out
and do it.
• Find people to support you. If you know there are people behind you, rooting for you to
work physical activity into your schedule, it will give you encouragement along the way.
• Set manageable goals. Giving yourself goals to celebrate along the way will make
exercise more fun and rewarding.
• Remember: If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you’ll gain about 1
pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year.
ACTION: Set a goal
Set SMART goals for yourself. That is, your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Action
oriented, and Realistic, and they should have a Time frame.
Attribute
Specific
Measurable
Action oriented
Realistic
Time frame
Example
No: I will eat healthy each day.
Yes: I will choose one nutrient dense food at every meal each day.
No: I will eat …
Yes: I will eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
If your goal is to eat vegetables twice a day, you may want to take the
following action:
I will purchase vegetables.
I will cut up vegetables and store them in a container in the
refrigerator.
Choose a goal you are 70percent sure you can achieve.
I will eat fruits for breakfast and for one snack each day.
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EVALUATION
Pass out Focus on Nutrient Dense Foods and Beverages Evaluation
Impact statement based on the state indicator:
A healthy eating pattern promotes health and helps to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. In
_(insert name of county)_ County, _(insert number)_ individuals experienced a change in
knowledge, opinions, skills or aspirations regarding lifestyle changes related to making nutrient
dense food choices that improve personal health. _(insert number)_ individuals made lifestyle
changes related to eating nutrient dense foods for the purpose of improving their health.
_(insert number)_ percent made progress toward a personal goal to make healthier food
choices and _(insert number)_ percent achieved their personal goals.
Share success stories of participants.
References
U.S. Department of Health and Human services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2010).
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dgas2010policydocument.htm
Adams, I. K. Hausafus, C.O., Hendrich, S. (2010). A critical thinking approach increases
offerings of dark green leafy, yellow/orange, cruciferous vegetables, and tomatoes in
the diets of low-income children. The Forum for Family and Consumer Sciences Issues.
15 (1).
Ingrid Adams, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.
Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Weight Management
September 2012
Copyright © September 2012 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This
publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted
users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex,
religion, disability, or national origin.
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