FOOD DIARY (DIET RECORD)
For FIVE days, record everything that you eat and drink. (Alternatively, you may interview a friend or family member to collect this data.) Include any condiments (ketchup, butter, salad dressing, etc.), snacks, alcohol, beverages, and water. It is very important that you select five TYPICAL days. Dietary choices should not be altered for this assignment. In other words, don’t change what is usually eaten to appear “better”. No one is graded or judged on what is eaten. This is an opportunity to practice collecting/organizing data, and to analyze that data based on what we are learning in this class.
Data Collection
For each item that is consumed, record the following information:
- Name of food or drink
- Amount consumed (in number of servings)
- Amount of carbohydrates (in grams)
- Amount of proteins (in grams)
- Amount of lipids (in grams)
- Amount of fiber (in grams)
- Amount of alcohol (in grams; if applicable)
- Amount of total Calories
- Specific time of day the food/drink was consumed (i.e., indicating breakfast or lunch is insufficient)
If food or beverage is consumed from a restaurant, you can obtain nutritional information online from the restaurant website. There are also multiple free apps available that can be used as a resource, such as “MyFitnessPal”. If you utilize an app to record your data, you must still create your own data table in Word. Print outs from an app will NOT be accepted.
Data Presentation
You will turn in this information as a well-organized, easily readable table that you create (do not use the tools that are in your app). Please make sure your data is organized into a single table that allows you to easily add up macronutrient data and compare foods. EACH food or beverage should have its own row of information in your table. Save the information from your food diary, as the next assignment will be based on this data.
Insert your table here
Questions
After collecting the data, answer the following questions in blue font. - Do you see a pattern in the time of day when the greatest amount of food is consumed? If so, is this time of day conducive to a healthy lifestyle? Please elaborate on what a healthy lifestyle is in your answer.
- Do you see a tendency to eat unhealthy foods on a regular basis? If so, when did this pattern start? Please elaborate on why this pattern began. If you eat healthy the majority of the time, what strategies do you use to ensure that you continue to do so?
- How do you feel this diet compares to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)? Your response should demonstrate a clear understanding of the DGA. This means you need to be as specific as possible. For a refresher, please visit this link: 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines Be sure to pay careful attention to the information on pages 3 & 4.
If the diet does not compare well, discuss at least two specific things that could be changed in diet and/or lifestyle to make it more consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
If the diet does compare well, what are two specific suggestions to help someone else that may be struggling to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
