Name ________________________________

Dietary Assessment Analysis

Analyzing Your Food Intake

Analyze your intake and activity by answering the following questions. Keep in mind that you are looking for the average of three days, not each individual day. To receive full credit, turn in all reports, your original 3-day diet record, and these pages with your response to all questions.

Carbohydrate (15 points)

1. How many grams of carbohydrate did you consume on an average day? (use whole numbers)
2. How many Calories does this represent? (Round to the nearest 10. Do not use decimals.)
3. It is estimated that you should have at least 120 gm, ideally more, of carbohydrate each day. How does your intake compare with this minimum?
4. What percent of your total Calories are contributed by carbohydrate?
5. How does this figure compare with the recommendation that 55-60% of the Calories in your diet should come from carbohydrate?
6. If you need to make changes, what will you do?
7. If you drank alcohol, how does it impact your carbohydrate percentage?

Fat/Lipids (15 points)

1. How many grams of fat did you consume on an average day? (use whole numbers)
2. How many Calories does this represent? (Round to the nearest 10.)
3. What percent of your total energy intake is contributed by fats/lipids?
4. The American Heart Association recommends that fats should contribute less than 30% of total energy. How does your fat intake compare with this recommendation?
5. If it is higher, what specific foods could you cut down on or eliminate to bring your total fat intake within recommended levels?
6. What were the major sources of trans-fats? How could you reduce this amount in your diet?
7. How does your cholesterol intake compare with the suggested limit of 300 mg a day? What changes do you need to make?  

Protein (10 points)

1. How many grams of protein did you consume on an average day? (use whole numbers)
2. How many Calories does this represent? (round to the nearest 10)
3. What percent of your total energy is contributed by protein?
4. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, protein should contribute 10-15% of total energy needs. How does your protein intake compare with this recommendation? What foods could you consume more or less of to bring it within the recommendation?
5. Calculate your protein RDA (0.8 g per kg of body weight). Is it similar to the RDA for the "average" person of your age and gender as shown in the RDA table inside the front cover of the textbook? Why might your calculated RDA be different from that of the "average" person’s?
6. What are the main sources of protein in your diet? Are they from animal or plant sources? How might you improve this area of your diet?

Nutrient Intake (10 points)

1. Does your average daily intake of potassium fall within the range of 3,325 – 5,875 mg? 
2. Is your average daily intake of sodium less than 2,300 mg?
3. List the vitamins consumed in amounts over twice the recommended intake level:
4. List the vitamins consumed in amounts under 75% of the recommended intake level:
5. List minerals consumed in amounts over twice the recommended intake level:
6. List the minerals consumed in amounts under 75% of the recommended intake level:

Energy Balance (5 points)

1. What is the recommended energy intake for you as indicated on your Daily Caloric Summary?
2.  Do you think this is an accurate recommendation for you, or do you need more or less Calories? Why? (Consider your body size and activity level.)

MyPyramid (5 points)

Compare your food intake to the MyPyramid report.

1. What, if any, food groups are low as compared to the suggested servings?
2. What specific foods might you be willing to include in your diet to more closely reach the suggested amounts?

Summary (5 points)

1. List two strengths of your diet based on the results of your dietary analysis.
2. List two weaknesses of your diet based on the results of your dietary analysis.

FINAL NOTES:

When turning in your project, be sure you have stapled or paper-clipped the following in the order listed:

• Answers to the questions listed above (65 points)
• Print out of Average of Intake vs Goals (5 points)
• Print out of Average of Energy Balance (5 points)
• Print out of Intake Spreadsheet for each day  (5 points)
• Print out of 3-Day Average of My Pyramid Analysis (15 points)
• 3-day diet record (15 points)

What will not be accepted:

• late projects for any reason
• messy, torn, dirty, wet work
• loose sheets of paper will not be graded
• incomplete work