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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Look at the bottom on the nutrition facts panel and you will see a statement that reads, “based on a 2,000 calorie diet.” This benchmark has been in place since the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act was put in place in 1994. It will remain the standard for the revision of the nutrition label that becomes effective in the summer of 2018. Is this value a good measuring tool for the general public?
Let’s back up and look at the origin of the 2,000 calorie recommendation and how it backs into the %DVs (percent daily values) on the nutrition facts panel.
The benchmark of a 2,000 calorie diet used on the nutrition facts panel was derived from self-reported USDA food consumption surveys conducted in the 1990s. At that time women typically reported consuming 1,600 to 2,200 calories a day, men 2,000 to 3,000, and children 1,800 to 2,500. Due to space limitations on the label the FDA settled on 2,350 calories a day. Then the FDA requested public comments about this proposal. Most who commented, including nutrition professionals, thought the 2,350 calorie benchmark was too high and would encourage overeating. Instead they compromised on 2,000 calories and that level has been used ever since. Whether rounding down nearly 20% is reasonable or not the FDA ultimately decided the arguments presented had merit and were persuasive, so 2,000 calories was settled on as the standard for nutrition labels. This calorie benchmark was not determined using standard equations that estimate the daily calorie need of a person based on age, height, weight and activity levels. And, the self-reported calorie ranges reported on the USDA surveys were never validated for accuracy.
Next, what is %DVs? These are values on food labels that help the average shopper understand how much of certain nutrients are found in a serving of food. If the %DV for calcium is 20%, one serving of food contains 20% (200 milligrams) of calcium needed by an adult daily. %DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Many people eat less some eat more. For vitamins and minerals the %DV can be used as a relative guide as to how much of a certain nutrient is in a serving of food. For fat, cholesterol, sodium, carb and fiber the %DV values do not reflect gender, age or activity and may not provide accurate values for most adults.
In the US today, close to 70% of adults are overweight or obese. Most of these people need far less than 2,000 calories a day to promote a healthy weight. Given its unscientific origins and the reality of Americans’ weight in 2016, we need to question why 2,000 calories a day is still being used as the standard for a healthy diet. Couple this with the fact that over 29 million people in the US have diabetes which makes keeping accurate track of fat, carb and sodium, based on individual needs, very important
Who really needs 2,000 calories a day? Consider these average adults.
A 30-year old bank clerk who weighs 135 pounds and goes to the gym 3 times a week needs about 1,750 calories each day to maintain her weight.
A 50-year old mailman who walks his delivery route daily and weighs 175 pounds needs 2,600 calories a day to maintain his weight.
A 65-year old retired nurse who is recovering from knee surgery and weighs 150 pounds needs only 1,500 calories each day to prevent weight gain until she can become more active again.
What about the 45-year old man who weighs 325 pounds and has very limited activity due to his weight? He will need less than 2,000 calories a day to promote even modest weight loss.
None of these examples fit the standard 2,000 calorie diet used as the basis for the nutrition facts panel. Then who does? Very fit, active adults, teenagers who participate in sports, or healthy active adults with active jobs – think delivery people, construction workers, fitness trainers, and landscapers – all need 2,000 calories a day (or even more). In the US today, these groups are the exemption not the rule.
Bottom line: Think of the nutrition facts panel as a guideline not a rule. It can tell you if a serving of food is high in calories, if it is a good source of a certain nutrient, or if there is too much sodium. But, keep in mind few of us are the “typical” consumer who needs 2,000 calories a day.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter
Calorie Counter
Protein Counter
Healthy Wholefoods Counter
Complete Food Counter
Fat and Cholesterol Counter
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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