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→Vitamins and Minerals
Note that the Weight Control & Nutrition module does not take into consideration all the nutrients needed by the human body. However, it does assign a higher "Food Type" rating to those foods which have a better nutrient content. This procedure, which is discussed below, increases the probability that the menus created by the module supply many of the nutrients you need in your diet.
====Nutritional Content of Food====
Up to 197 foods can be included in the weekly menus, depending on your food selections. The module assigns each portion of food with a specific nutrient content, using averages compiled by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Each food is also assigned a "Food Type" rating of 1 (high), 2 (middle), or 3 (low). Foods with a higher rating have a better overall nutrient content than do foods with a lower rating. Therefore, when the module is creating menus, it selects Type 1 foods more frequently than Type 2, and Type 2 foods more frequently than Type 3.
The nutrient averages for each food are listed in Appendix B.
====Basic Food Groups====
The basic food groups are dairy products, breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, and meat and meat alternatives. According to the USDA, a balanced diet includes daily portions from each of these groups. The menus created by the Weight Control & Nutrition module are based on this concept.
====Calories and Body Weight====
The module also takes into consideration the relationship between your age, weight, height, and daily calorie requirement.
Calories are units of food energy - the "fuel" your body obtains from the food you eat. According to the USDA and many other authorities, if you take in more calories than you need, the excess energy is stored as fat. Continued overeating thus leads to weight gain, while undereating leads to weight loss. Your weight stays about the same when your calorie intake matches your body's energy needs.
The Weight Control & Nutrition module helps you determine your weight range using a method suggested by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Three possible weight ranges are suggested for each participant - one for persons with a slim build, another for persons with an average build, and a third for persons with a stocky build. The participant selects a target weight goal based on this information.
To determine your daily calorie requirement, the module first calculates your basal metabolic rate (BMR), using a method developed by Boothby, Berkson, and Dunn.* Then, depending on your selected goal of weight loss, gain, or maintenance, the module
calculates your daily calorie target.
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