Part 2: use the “reports” to analyze your dietary intake. for this

Part 2: Use the “Reports” to analyze your dietary intake.

 For this assignment you will use a combination of food AND nutrient analysis reports: From MyDietAnalysis you will need to access the following reports which can be accessed  by selecting the Reports tab on the top of the page. 

For the purpose of this assignment you will need to access the following types of reports:

• “Actual Intake VS Recommended Intake”
• “Meal Assessment Report”
• “Calorie Distribution”
• “The Plate” 
• “All Nutrients Spreadsheet”,
• “Single Nutrient Report

All of these reports can be found in the “All Daily Reports”.

 Write a comprehensive assessment of your nutrient intake in narrative (story) form: no bullets please! Please do not copy and paste any sections of the report into your paper. This section should take up at least 1, single spaced page. In your report address the following topics:

• (15) Actual VS Recommended for MACRONUTRIENTS (carbohydrates, fiber, fat, protein) and calories: Compare your intake levels to the “Recommended Intake ” (DRIs) using the percent values (%), NOT your intake in grams. The % of Actual to Recommended Intake is much more valuable than the grams.
  • Refer to the Actual VS Recommended Intake report. You need to report on the percent of intake compared to recommended for: calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, fiber. You must include examples of the foods that contributed most of these nutrients to your intake. 
  • Determine food sources of each…Refer to the Nutrient Spreadsheet and/or Single Nutrient Report ( For the Spreadsheet – Find the nutrient in the column headings at the top of the bar and scroll down to see which foods include the highest levels for each day.) Do not report on each day…determine which foods provided the most over the 3 day period – include a few of the foods with the greatest number of grams. State at least the top 3 for each macronutrient.
  • Calories: If you choose weight loss, then address how much lower your caloric recommendation is for your Profile (height, weight etc). The program will calculate a 1 pound weight loss as 500 kcal less than your recommended number of calories. If you choose a 2 pound weight loss the program calculates 1000 kcal less than your recommended number of calories. You need to address your caloric  intake compared to the calories recommended: would you expect to gain, lose of stay the same weight over time at the current level of calories? Explain why. 
•  (15) Actual VS Recommended for MICRONUTRIENTS:
  • Discuss any nutrient that was significantly greater or less than the recommendation according to the DRI’s (25 % more or less). 
  • YOU MUST ADDRESS the following nutrients regardless: Vit. A, Vit. C, Vit. D, Vit. E,  B-12, folate, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium.
  • Determine food sources of each…Refer to the Nutrient Spreadsheet and/or Single Nutrient Report .  Even if levels are low, find at least 1 or 2 food sources. If levels are low, explain what foods would increase them (refer to your text or other sources for best food sources of nutrients.) If they are high, discuss whether and/or how you need to modify intake. 
• (5) Refer to the Sources of Calories and Fat Calories report to get the percent (%) of calories from fat, carbohydrate and protein and the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for each macronutrient.
  • Compare your  macronutrient distribution with the AMDR for Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat.  
  • Explain how well your intake falls into these categories. Be careful not to confuse the AMDR with the “Actual VS Recommended” percent measures or the DV  % measures from above 
• (5) Refer to the My Plate comparison. Comment on your percent comparisons for each food group. Based on your nutrient assessment above, how does this food based assessment compare? (For example, if your Vit. D and calcium levels are low, is your dairy intake to low?) 
• (5) Refer to the Meal Summary Assessment : Discuss any patterns you see in nutrient or food intake.
  • What meal gives you the most calories/least calories? How about the most nutrient density?
  • Explain any other patterns that you noticed from your own notes about your food intake, i.e. did you eat more/less on the weekend day?
  • Did you tend to eat more regular meals on the weekdays…etc. Analyze why these patterns may exist. This part will depend on how well you took notes about your eating habits. It will include an explanation about your style of eating (why you make your food choices…convenience, cost, cultural, taste preference, nutritional, etc….)  

Part 3 : What will you do with this information?

• (5) What health risks are associated with your nutrient and food intake assessment? You should know this from reading the past 8 chapters in your text book. Refer back to your assessment and explain how current nutrient levels may impact your health if continued on a regular basis. Use your textbook and outline the types of health issues you might face if you don’t make changes.
  • Examples: You have low potassium and high sodium? Go back and read about the health risks associated with low potassium/high sodium (hint – high blood pressure is very possible). What about high saturated fat levels; low fiber; low levels of Vit. E??? Address at least the major 2 or 3 that are high or low and address health risks. 
• (10)Based on the above analysis of your food and nutrient intake AND based on what you have learned about nutrition and health, specifically address the changes you would make to improve your nutrient and food intake. This section should also directly relate back to the assessment you made above.

  Explain how your dietary changes will affect caloric intake (especially if you chose weight loss) what physical activity you will add to your daily routine, and how those 2 changes together will impact weight.

 Finally address how this assignment has helped you: Did you gain some practical information that will be useful to you? What has been most eye-opening for you?

Include examples…include examples…include examples~! What foods you ate; what you will eat or will avoid to better meet your needs…BE SPECIFIC and realistic. Students miss points only because they do not include real food examples…You need to say more than “ I will eat more fruits and vegetables”…state what kind and which nutrients they will provide. Address how these changes could impact your health.