Heart disease, diet

Alternative names:

diet and heart disease

Recommendations:

Recommendations for children's diets are similar to those of adults. It is imperative that children's caloric intake be adequate to support growth, activity level and that the child achieve and maintain a desirable body weight.

Reduce the total fat intake to less than 30% of the total calories. (The average fat intake of most individuals in the U.S. is approximately 37% of the total calories per day.) Reduce the saturated fat (which is the fat that raises the cholesterol level) intake to less than 10% of the total calories from fat. Not more than 10% of the fat calories should come from polyunsaturated fat, and 10 to 15% of the calories from monounsaturated fat. Both of these fats are from vegetable sources and help lower the cholesterol level.

Consume less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol daily. (For example, one egg yolk contains an average of 250 milligrams.)

Ensure that 50 to 60% of daily calories come from carbohydrates, preferably complex carbohydrates. The daily calories should be appropriate for the maintenance of desirable body weight and should support growth in children and adolescents.

Reduce the intake of sodium or salt to less than 3,000 milligrams, or 3 grams per day (1 teaspoon of table salt contains 2,500 milligrams of sodium.). Increased salt intake can be associated with fluid retention, which leads to an increase in the blood volume and is a risk factor for high blood pressure and heart disease.

Meet the requirement for protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals can be met through a low-fat, low cholesterol, low-sodium, nutritionally balanced meal plan.

WAYS TO IMPLEMENT DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
To reduce fat and cholesterol, keep the amount of meat, poultry, and seafood eaten daily to 6 ounces of cooked servings. Use skinless turkey, chicken, fish or lean red meat to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Lean cuts of red meat may be used occasionally. Trim all the visible fat prior to cooking the meat. Cook by baking or broiling, rather than deep fat frying. For the main entree, substitute less meat or meatless meals a few times a week. Using smaller amounts of meat reduce the total fat content of the meal. Use no more than 6 or 7 teaspoons of fats or oils per day for salads, cooking, and baking.

To reduce high cholesterol foods consumed, do not use more than 3 to 4 egg yolks per week, including eggs used in cooking. Reduce the use of organ meats (such as liver) and shellfish (such as shrimp and lobster).

To reduce salt, reduce the amount of table salt used, and limit the use of prepared foods that have salt added to them, such as canned soups and vegetables, cured meats, and some frozen meals. Always check the nutrition label for the sodium content per serving.