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NUTRITION
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Food Guide Pyramid provides dietary guidelines for individuals
aged 2 years
and older on daily nutritional intake and reducing excessive
fat consumption. According to the Food Guide Pyramid, everyone
should eat at least the minimum number of servings within
the recommended ranges, which are 6-11 grain servings,
3-5 vegetable servings, 2-4 fruit servings, 2-3 dairy servings,
and 5-7 ounces of meat. The number of servings that is
right
for a person may vary depending on their caloric needs,
age, physical activity level, and whether a woman is pregnant
or lactating.
During 1994-1996, the majority of women aged
20 and older did not consume the daily recommended servings
for any of
the food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid. Women were more
likely (45 percent) to consume the recommended servings
for the vegetable group and less likely (16 percent) to
consume
the recommended servings of dairy, which is an important
source of calcium. However, men were more likely than women
to consume the recommended amounts of all food groups.
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