Food Action Plan

To determine the level of my fiber intake from a 3 day sample of my diet, I performed a Prospective Diet Analysis. On average, I consumed 22.3 grams of fiber, just missing the recommendation of 25 grams. Coherent to the findings of the related studies, my cholesterol intake decreased and by the third day totaled 124.5 mg, which relates to 42% of the Daily Recommended Intake of 300 mg.

For the most part, I’m getting good amounts of vitamins and minerals. I was extremely

According to my three day diet analysis it seems like my eating habits are poor. Not necessarily that I am consuming too many bad foods but I am not getting the all around nutrients that I need on a daily basis. Sometimes not eating enough. Or ot finding time to eat at all is a big issue in this. Due to my job and the lack of time I have at home it is hard for me to get the nutrients I need on a daily basis. With the target that is shown of six oz. of grains two and a half cups of vegetables, two cups of fruits, two cups of dairy and five and a half oz. of protein foods I fell short in most of the areas that were targeted for me. My biggest two areas of consumption was refined grains and protein.

Day 1 was lower in more areas. Some that were below 50 percent were: polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, folate, potassium, and sodium. The only one that I thought was too high was phosphorus. Day 2 was below 50 percent in: dietary fiber, vitamin D, vitamin E, and potassium. However, it was too high in about 12 areas.

The first part of the report I would like to examine is the different food groups taken into my diet over the past four days. There are five major food groups which make up the dietary requirements of the body: Dairy, Grain, Fruits, Vegetables, and proteins. Each brings an essential source of nutrients to the body, which allows the body to function at a normal level of homeostasis. I noticed ever since I have fractured my back there has been a dramatic change in my diet, and physical activity level. Overall, I take in less than the recommended amount of calories of 2000 per day. I on average exceed the amount of fruits needed in a day, hit the level for protein, and dairy, but failed to meet the allocated portion of vegetables everyday. An alarming part of diet that I noticed was I exceeded my sodium intake everyday. This could be attributed to the fact of the

| • Does not just state the facts (i.e., “I didn’t take in enough Vitamin C.”), but includes the implications of the deficit/excess. Includes citations for sources

1. How did the Dietary Analysis affect your understanding of your current health? Did you identify any particular habits that may be increasing your risk for chronic diseases?

The University of a Florida offers meal plans for students who wish to have a meal ready for them rather than worrying about what they are going to eat, or perhaps cook, throughout the day. The problem with this idea however, is that students oftentimes do not take full advantage of this system. Whether it is cooking, eating out, or even going home on the weekends, there are several factors that can get in the way of taking full advantage of the meal plan. This dilemma often leaves families asking the same question: is buying the meal plan that is provided by colleges actually worth the money? While buying a meal plan for college appears to make sense for many incoming freshmen, it does not always translate into the most efficient use of

My data could be more accurate if I had used only one source for food data, and find the exact measurements for what I ate. Also, my record of fruits and vegetables may not have been accurate because I do not usually eat them alone, so they may have been in my food and I did not take account of them. On the third day, I ate Jack in the Box the whole day, which is a rare event to occur in my diet. On the weekends I am less active, but

Will The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act recently signed into law on December 13, 2010 by President Barack Obama be able to deliver healthier meals in the schools nutrition programs or will the bill overwhelm struggling school districts with additional unfunded mandates? Schools confront difficult issues on a daily basis that affect the learning ability of their students: struggling economic conditions, students from poor families, increased food insecurity across the country, and constant pressures to increase student performance. Providing healthy meals for children, who otherwise would eat poorly or not at all, is a necessity that our country has recognized and planned for many decades. Two measures authorized

Have you realized the problem? College students are always in a rush. We’re constantly moving from place to place. Think about a drive-through. People in their cars order food and they quickly get it. They do this because they’re in a rush. Now that I’ve told you this, think about all the places for food at Anne Arundel Community College. They conveniently pop up near your classes. The healthier food options are in the cafeteria, but your class starts in 10 minutes, and Subway is right there.

For this three day diet analysis project I wanted to eat as I normally would and be honest about all that I ate, to analyze not only what and how much I was eating, but also to see how healthy my diet really is. By doing so I can see if any of my diet choices are putting me at risk for certain health diseases, and what changes can be made to make my diet healthier. After analyzing my diet, I would say I am fairly healthy, though I am out of the target range in a few areas. My profile calculated from my weight and height indicates that I have a BMI of 20.5. This is considered to be healthy; the healthy range is anywhere between 18.5-25. This was reassuring to hear because I am happy at my current weight, and

On these days I would always get extremely hungry in between classes and go grab a bite to eat off campus. On average a meal would range from four dollars to about six dollars, each time. Also, almost every Friday or Saturday I meet up with some friends and we go out for dinner so there’s another four to six dollars. On the other hand, I work at Subway five days a week and would eat there every time I worked spending around four to five dollars each time. After doing some calculations I found out I was spending anywhere from thirty-two to forty-eight dollars a week. How ridiculous! I wish I would’ve done the calculations sooner to end this ridiculous

The Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest translates well to the college world. While living on my own, many of my long-dormant, carnivorous instincts kicked in. A trip to the local superstore meant that my pantry was well stocked, but replenishing it was another matter. I soon found myself planted firmly in a regimen of boxed noodles, frozen pizza, and TV dinners. While not the healthiest of diets, they did allow me enough carbohydrates to make it through twelve hours of classes.

Food -- it is a necessity. There is not one person who does not think about it on a daily basis. For a college student, the quality of food available is not always to the highest of standards. Many students can not afford to buy expensive food or eat out on a regular basis. Many times their only option left is to eat from their school’s dining halls.