Fast Food Nation Nutrition Analysis

The first step in planning a healthier diet is to know what you eat and its nutritional value. This project analyzes your intake and challenges you to make changes. You can use the diet assessment tool in the Computer Lab or can use one of these free online diet analysis programs:

Nat.Illinois.edu/mainnat.html

Mypyramidtracker.gov/planner

Computerized Nutrient Analysis

This project is an initial step in learning how to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of a diet. Students will analyze their own food and beverage intake for nutritional adequacy against recognized standards.

A.Dietary Intake:

The Three Day Food Record

  1. Keep a complete record of your food and beverage intake for 3 days using Eating Logs. Use as many pages as necessary, but always begin a new day’s intake on a new form. Submit these forms with your final project.
  1. The three days must include 2 consecutive weekdays and one weekend day: Thursday/Friday/Saturday or Sunday/Monday/Tuesday
  1. List all the foods and beverages you consumed during the three days you selected for your project. Be sure to include all items such as salad dressing, butter on toast, oil used in cooking, condiments and flavorings.
  1. Identify the amount of each food consumed using common household measures i.e., 3 oz., 1/2 cup, 1/2 tsp. Also include the quantity of the oil, salad dressing, butter, etc. used on your food.
  1. When you identify the food you consumed also identify the method of food preparation used such as fried, boiled, baked, etc. and any descriptive information about the food items.

EXAMPLE:

FOOD ITEM AND PREPARATION AMOUNT

Whole wheat toast1 slice

Grape jam2 tsp.

Milk, 1% fat8 oz.

Baked Chicken breast with wing and skin4 oz.

With canola oil and spices1 tsp (oil)

Mixed green salad-iceberg lettuce1 cup

Shredded carrots1/8 cup

Sliced tomato1/8

French salad dressing, regular2 tbsp.

Italian herb croutons1 tsp.

Black Beans2cups

With Oil and spices2 tsp (oil)

Onions1 tbsp

Rice, white11/2 cups

With butter and spices2 tbsp. (butter)

Snapple iced tea, lemon flavored, sweetened20 oz.

B.Dietary Analysis:

  • The MyDietAnalysis computer program completes the actual analysis of your diet. Students will “input” the food and beverages consumed into the computer, and print out the assigned documents.
  • The information or data obtained from the computer analysis must be interpreted by students to determine the strengths of their diet and opportunities for improvement of their current dietary intake.
  • Students’ interpretation of the computer dietary analysis should be based on the information and knowledge students gained during this course.
  • All of your narrative answers must be supported by sound nutrition information.

The Narrative:

Each question and part of each question must be answered in complete sentences.

1. My DRI’s:

A. What does DRI stand for and what are they used for?

B. Compare your intakes to the DRI are appropriate for your age & gender.

  1. For how many nutrients analyzed did you meet requirements?
  2. How many nutrients and which nutrients were less than 80% of requirements?
  3. How many nutrients and which nutrients were greater than 120% of requirements?

2. MyPyramid:

A. What is the purpose of MyPyramid?

B. Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the MyPyramid information provided by their diet analysis software and answer the following questions:

  1. Do your intakes meet recommendations for each food group?
  2. What food groups are you high in?
  3. What food groups are you low in?
  4. What changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendations of MyPyramid?

3. Fiber:

The health of the GI tract depends to a great extent on the foods we eat.

  1. Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should review the information provided by their diet analysis software and note the following:
  1. What is your fiber intake? Do you meet the recommendations for fiber intake?
  2. What is your water intake? Do you meet recommendations for water intake?
  3. If you have any GI difficulties, can you correlate them with any of the foods you consume?
  4. What changes could you make in your diet, specifically your intake of water and fiber, to improve the health of your GI tract?

4. Carbohydrates:

A. Explain: what dietary carbohydrate is and the difference between simple sugars, natural sugars, complex carbohydrate, and dietary fiber. Identify food sources of each. Explain the role that each type of carbohydrate plays in a person’s health.

B. Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. How many grams of carbohydrate do you consume?
  2. What percentage of your calories comes from carbohydrate?
  3. How many grams of sugar do you consume?
  4. What percentage of your calories comes from sugar?
  5. Compare the % calories from CHO with the AMDR. Does your intake meet the recommendation for CHO?
  6. What three foods did you consume that contain the highest level of sugar? How many grams of sugar were in each food?
  7. What changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet carbohydrate and sugar recommendations?

5. Lipids:

A. Explain: what dietary fat is and the difference between saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fat. Identify food sources of each. Explain the role of each type of fat in the body.

B. Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. How many grams of total fat do you consume?
  2. What percentage of your calories comes from total fat?
  3. How many grams of saturated fat do you consume?
  4. How many grams of trans fat do you consume?
  5. How many milligrams of cholesterol do you consume? Compare your intake to the recommended intake of cholesterol.
  6. Compare your % calories from fat with the AMDR. Does your intake meet the recommendation for fat?
  7. What three foods that you consumed contained the highest level of fat? How many grams of fat were in each food?
  8. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet fat and cholesterol recommendations?

6. Protein:

A. Explain: what dietary protein is, why the body needs it, the difference between complete protein and incomplete protein, and food sources of each.

B. Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. How many grams of protein do you consume? Is your intake more than 2X your RDA value for protein?
  2. What percentage of your calories comes from protein?
  3. Compare your % calories from protein with the AMDR. Does your intake meet the recommendation for protein?
  4. What three foods that you consumed that contained the highest amount of protein? How many grams of protein were in each food?
  5. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet protein recommendations?

7. Water Balance: Sodium/Potassium:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. Sodium:
  2. How many milligrams of sodium do you consume?
  3. How does your sodium intake compare to the recommendation?
  4. What three foods that you consumed contained the highest amount of sodium? How many milligrams of sodium were in each food?
  5. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet sodium recommendations?
  6. Potassium:
  7. How many milligrams of potassium do you consume?
  8. How does your potassium intake compare to the recommendation?
  9. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet potassium recommendations?
  10. Water:
  11. How much water do you consume?
  12. How does your water intake compare to the recommendation?

8. Antioxidants:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. Vitamin E:
  2. How many milligrams of vitamin E do you consume?
  3. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  4. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet recommendation?

B. Vitamin C

  1. How many milligrams of vitamin C do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet recommendation?

C. Vitamin A:

  1. How many micrograms of vitamin A do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet recommendations:
  1. Selenium?
  1. How many micrograms of selenium do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet recommendations:

9. Phytochemicals:

Using the 3-day food record, students will identify which foods in their journal contained phytochemicals. To help you with this activity, Figure 1 on page 352, can be used.

  1. List at least 3 phytochemicals, their functions and at least 2 foods that contain each of them.
  2. If your diet doesn’t contain at least 3 phytochemicals, discuss what you would do to improve your diet.

10. Bone Health:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. Calcium:
  1. How many milligrams do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet recommendation?
  1. Vitamin D:
  1. How many milligrams do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendation?
  1. Magnesium:
  1. How many milligrams do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendation?

11. Blood:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. Folate:
  1. How many micrograms do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendation?
  1. Iron:
  1. How many milligrams do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendation?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendation?
  1. Zinc:
  1. How many milligrams do you consume?
  2. How does your intake of this nutrient compare with the recommendations?
  3. What specific changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet the recommendation?

12. Weight Maintenance:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, students should note the following based on their average intake:

  1. Calories:
  1. How many calories do you consume?
  2. How does this caloric intake compare to the recommendations? Would you gain, lose (and how much) or remain at a consistent weight if you continued to eat this way?
  3. What three foods that you consume contain the highest number of calories?
  4. How many calories are in each of these foods?
  5. What changes can you make in your diet to more closely meet your caloric recommendation?

13. Eating Behaviors:

Using your food intake records, answer the following questions:

  1. When do I eat?
  2. Do I skip meals often?
  3. Where do I eat?
  4. Why do I eat?
  5. Are there any eating behaviors I’d like to change?

14. Additives:

Using the nutritional assessment previously completed, identify a processed food that you consumed, if you did not consume any, look at any packaged food:

  1. Evaluate the ingredient list for this food and identify at least 2 ingredients that are food additives.
  2. Explain the function of each food additive you identify.

15. SUMMARIZE YOUR TOTAL FINDINGS CONCERNING YOUR DIET IN

5 – 7 SENTENCES. Be clear and specific

PROJECT MECHANICS:

YOUR PROJECT SHOULD BE NEATLY PRESENTED:

  • The narrative portion of the project must be typed. Points will be deducted from the final grade if the paper is not typed.
  • The calculations required for the project, as well as the forms to be completed, may be handwritten.
  • All forms must be submitted with the final project.
  • All work must be neat and legible or it will not be accepted.

THE PAGES SHOULD BE NUMBERED AND PLACED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.

  1. A COVER PAGE WITH YOUR NAME, DATE, AND CLASS ON IT
  2. THE NARRATIVE
  3. ALL FORMS CORRESPONDING TO EACH QUESTION
  4. THE EATING LOGS
  5. THE COMPUTER PRINTOUTS

A PLASTIC COVER OR FOLDER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rubric for Nutrition Project

Name: ______Date Submitted: ______

Submission of EL/ CP for review5/5 pts 10______

Narrative questions answered correctly and completely:

1-DRI 2______

2-MyPyramid 5______

3-Fiber 5______

4-Carbohydrate10______

5-Fats/Cholesterol 10______

6-Protein 10______

7-Water Balance 8______

8-Anti-Oxidants 5______

9-Phytochemicals 5______

10-Bone Health 5______

11-Blood 5______

12-Weight Maintenance 5______

13-Eating Behaviors 5______

14-Additives5______

15-SUMMARY 5______

TOTAL______/100

FORM - EATING LOG

NAME DATE WORK DAY

NON-WORKDAY

DAY 1 2 3 (CIRCLE ONE)

FOOD ITEM HOW IT WAS PREPARED / AMOUNT
BREAKFAST - TIME ______
SNACK – TIME ______
LUNCH – TIME ______
SNACK – TIME ______
DINNER – TIME ______