• Assess recommendations for nutrient intake.
• Analyze nutrient intake for adequate intake of Choose My Plate Food groups.
• Describe food categories of ChooseMyPlate and unique characteristics and food belonging to each group.

Diet Analysis Project

Diet Analysis Project Instructions

This project will allow you to gather and analyze information on the foods you eat and the activites you perform throughout a three day period.

Objectives

Goal: This project will allow you to gather and analyze information on the foods you eat and the activités you perform throughout a three day period.

Objectives:

1. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the dietary goals and guidelines set for Americans by evaluating nutritional adequacy of diets using the USDA Food Guide, DRIs and online nutrition analysis software, Supertracker.

2.The student will use quantitative, analytical skills to evaluate and analyze nutrient analysés data using computer and emerging technologies effectively.

3. The student will synthesize information learned from previous course content to assess and analyze their dietary intake.

Step1: Record Food and Activity

You will choose three consecutive days, one weekend day and two weekdays, and record all of the foods you eat AND drink (even water) for the three days.

Be aware of portions, including beverages (ounces), Meats/Fish/Poultry (ounces) condiments such as ketchup, mayo, mustard, and salad dressing in teaspoons or tablespoons. Bread, fast foods, by portion such as 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 1 Big mac, 1 small McDonald’s French fries. Vegetables in cups and fruits in cups (1/2 cup cooked broccoli or by item (one small apple). The more specific you are in completing your Food Record, the more accurate the results of your choosemyplate analysis.

Review the food groups on www.choosemyplate.gov (previously the Food Guide Pyramid). Explore the food groups and portions listed under each of the food groups. Explore oils and empty calories as well. There are pictures which provide a visual image of the portion size of some foods, assisting you in portion estimation for this project.

Step 2: Enter Foods Into Supertracker and Print Reports

1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Read the following handout before using Supertracker. Ten Tips for Supertracker

2.Register on SUPERTRACKER which is a part of the choosemyplate.gov website . If you do not register, none of your data will be saved when you close your browser window..

Watch Video about making your profile on Supertacker  HERE.

3. Enter the foods you consumed into the Food Tracker. You should have recorded your intake on the food record form to assist you in recalling portions and foods you consumed during the three days. Enter all foods AND fluids. Some foods may not be easily found. Check spelling if you do not find the food on the 1st search, use alternate but similar food items if you can not find the EXACT item. NOTE: You will not be submitting the food record form. It is simply a data collection tool.

Watch this video about entering foods into the Supertracker Program  HERE

Note: You can change your calorie goal if you wish to lose or gain weight. Watch this video to see how to change your calorie goals  HERE.

4. Enter all physical activity that you participated over the 3 days into the Physical Activity Tracker.

5. Once you have completed entering foods and physical activity.You will download the following Three day average reports: (remember to select the date ranges to include all 3 days).

1. Food Groups and Calories

2. Nutrients

3. Physical Activity

6. Save each 3 day average in an MS Word document format. At this point, combine all three reports into ONE MS word document.

7. You will then use the reports to complete your written summary portion of this assignment.

NOTE: Only one document will be graded. The last document uploaded, will be graded. Therefore you MUST combine all reports and the nutrient anaylsis written analysis as ONE document.

Step 3: Written Analysis of Nutrient Intake Reports

You will write an analysis of your dietary intake answering the questions stated below using all of your three days average data reports, your textbook, slides, and choose my plate.gov website. Do not use other websites to validate your conclusions. Use only the course provided resources and Choose My Plate website.

See examples for analysis for each of the reports below.

What is an analysis? Remember, an analysis is using the data (your reports) to make conclusions and validating your conclusions using references such above resources.

1. Food Groups and Calories Report (10 pts possible)

• Review your Food Groups and Calories Report and use the data to write a detailed analysis describing your intake from each of the food groups.
• For each of the food groups, discuss the reasons your intake either exceeds, meets or is below the your Target : Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, Protein Foods and include Oils, Total empty calories.
• For each of the food groups make suggestions where changes could be made to meet your Target amounts by including examples of foods you could increase or decrease your intake to better meet your target.

Example: My intake of fruits exceeded my target goals. I ate a serving of strawberries, an apple and 16 ounces of fruit juice which, according to Choosemyplate.gov, Fruit groups, put me over by 2 servings of fruit. I will reduce the portion of fruit juice by 8 ounces to decrease my servings from the fruit group.

2. Nutrients Report (10 pts possible)

Review your three day average Nutrients report and write an analysis of your Intake for all Macro and Micronutrients compared to your Target for each of them.

Use the textbook chapters and course content materials on Carbohydrates, Lipds, Protein, Vitamins and Minerals and cite references from the text to back up your analysis. In your analysis, use examples of foods you ate or did not eat that contributed to the deficiency, helped you meet your target, or contributed to excess intake.

• Provide SPECIFIC foods, not just food groups and State what the possible health risks are that are associated with your results.
• Use your text and course content to analyze your intake of ALL nutrients. See APA referencing format.

Example: I was deficient in my calcium intake. I ate only 60% of my Target for calcium. I did not consume enough high calcium foods such as almond milk (Understanding nutrition pg. 403) or vegetables such as broccoli into my meals to increase the amount of calcium. If I do not consume enough calcium I could lose calcium from my bones causing osteoporosis in the future (Understanding Nutrition, pg. 404). I am lactose intolerant so it’s difficult for me to get in enough calcium but, I could use soy and lactose free cheese since those are high calcium foods (Choosemy plate.gov, Dairy) I like to eat.

3. Physical Activity Report (10 pts possible)

Review your Physical Activity report and refer to the chapters in your text book on Energy Balance, Weight Management and Fitness to assist you in analyzing your physical activity. Use citations from your textbook to validate your responses. Include the following in your analysis.

• Summarize and assess the MIE data from your report. Be specific.
• What is the impact your current level of physical activity may have on your health over both the short term and long term?
• State how you could improve your activity level if you are under. If you meet or are over your MIE, state the long term benefits you will gain from your current activity.
• State future fitness goals.
• Include references to support your statements.

Example: My current activity based on my Physical Activity Report shows that my MIE is 60 MIEs. My goal is 150 MIEs. I need to include more moderate intensity activity to meet my goal of 150 MIEs per week. I also did not do any Muscle-Strengthing activities. I have been walking three times a week for 80 minutes but at a low intensity. I can increase my intensity by walking faster and including at least one more day a week into my activity schedule. I can include more muscle strengthening activities two days a week by lifting light weights for 15 minutes or gardening for 1 hour.

Increasing my intensity of walking will include aerobic activity. Aerobic activity can improve cardiorespiratory endurance (Understanding Nutrition, pg.442.) Muscle strengthening activity can improve bone mass. (Understanding Nutrition, pg 443.)

Below are two examples of the assignment. Please be VERY careful to write YOUR assessments in your own words. 

Turnitin tools will be used to check for plagiarism and a zero (0) will be given if your work is not your own.

EXAMPLE ASSIGNMENT 1

 EXAMPLE ASSIGNMENT 2 

Step 4: Submit Assignment

Once completed, you will submit the whole assignment online in D2L in the Choose My Plate Assignment folder. This folder can be found under the “Assignments” tab at the top of the course home page. All of the following information should be included in your submission.

You will combine all of the following reports and written assessments in ONE document. Multiple documents will not be accepted. See video HERE for instructions on combining all reports into one document.

CHECKLIST:

1. Cover Sheet: APA formatted.(You do not need Abstract)

3. Supertracker Three Day Average Data reports (From Step 2):

Food groups and Calories

Nutrients

Week Average Physical Activity.

4. Written Analysis of each report based on above requirements.

5. Reference List: (APA formatted)

You will submit on OR before the assigned due date found in the Course Schedule of the SYLLABUS.

***UNDER NO UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL. IF YOU WISH FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT TO BE GRADED THEN IT MUST BE SUBMITTED IN THE ASSIGNMENTS FOLDER.***

Guidelines for Written Work

1. Written work should be appropriately formatted, APA (See below examples and suggestions.)

2. The cover page (first page) of the document should follow APA format. No abstract needed.

3. Although there is no word requirement, all of the questions should be answered throughly. Based on the assessment, each student’s data will be different and therefore, the amount of written assessment will vary. However, most of written portion of the assignment that students have previously submitted are typically between 4-6 pages (this is excluding the reports).

4. Avoid abbreviations and “texting” language. If any of work has this sort of language, points will be deducted based on the frequency of use.

5. Plagiarism is completely unacceptable. Students found plagiarizing will receive a 0 = F for this assignment. Review Student Code of Conduct in Student Handbook.

6. Madatory in-text references in the body of your work is expected using APA referencing formats. See Link HERE for Purdue OWL wesite which provides easy references to the APA format. Here is a summary of APA formatting that can helpful. References will be used when validating any conculsions about nutrient content in foods, food sources, physical activity and as appropriate.

Grading Expectations for written work as are follows:

• Organization/ Format: Organizes material in a clear, appropriate, and precise manner.Name should be clearly indicated on all writen work. Cover page is included as 1st page of document.
• Content: Material content is clear, relevant, accurate, and concise.
• Writing Conventions: Minimal errors are present and enhances the readability of the paper.
• Interpret Data/ Information: Correct interpretation of data or information. Analysis and conclusion are based on the foods you ate, the Choose My Plate 3 day average report and additional research. References are included: in-text and full references using APA formatting.
• Appropriate Vocabulary: Articulates appropriate vocabulary and terms associated with the subject matter. Use terms specific to this nutrition topic.

Failure to comply with the above requirements will result in a reduction in points.

Notes About Referencing in APA format

All of the following material was quoted from the OWL Purdue website.

Examples of in-text citation formating

See APA format videos to assist you with formatting.

In-text referencing:

Example:

I was deficient in my calcium intake. I ate only 60% of my Target for calcium. I did not consume enough foods rich in calcium. I am lactose intolerant, so it’s difficult for me to get in enough calcium but, I could drink soy or almond milk in place of regular cow’s milk (Dairy, What foods are included in the dairy group?, Choose My Plate, n.d.) or vegetables such as broccoli into my meals to increase the amount of calcium (Grosvenor & Smolin 2012, pg. 282). If I do not consume enough calcium I could lose calcium from my bones causing osteoporosis in the future (Grosvenor & Smolin 2012, pg. 279).

Short Quotations

According to Jones (1998), “Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time” (p. 199).

Jones (1998) found “students often had difficulty using APA style” (p. 199); what implications does this have for teachers?

According to USDA Choose My Plate, fruits are beneficial to diet and health by providing essential nutrients such as potassium and fiber (Fruits, All about the fruit group section, para. 3 & 4).

Long Text Quotations

Jones’s (1998) study found the following:Students often had difficulty using APA style,especially when it was their first time citing sources. This difficulty could be attributed to the fact that many students failed to purchase a style manual or to ask their teacher for help. (p. 199)

Summary or Paraphrase

According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners.

APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners (Jones, 1998, p. 199).

Reference List

A list of references should be included at the end of your written work. This will be your last page of your document.

Some suggestions for APA references styles for your textbook and the Choose My Plate website are listed below. For the correct format for other references (books other than your textbook, research articles, professional news letters and more, you must go to OWL Purdue APA style for futher guidance.

  Grovsner, Mary B., & Smolin, Lori A (2012). Visualizing Nutrition (3rd ed.).Hoboken, NJ:Wiley.

Your references will be different based on the section of the Choose My Plate website you gather information from. An example of information obtained from the website’s section on Fruits follows:

Fruits. (n.d.). In USDA Choose My Plate. Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/fruits-why.

 Examples of well done assignments:

Diet Analysis Project Example 1

Diet Analysis Project Example 2

Grading Criteria

Total Points possible for full assignment: 50 pts

Three Day Average Data Reports (5 pts each): 15 pts

Written Assessment (Analysis):

Food Groups and Calories Report (1-10pts possible)

Nutrients (1- 10pts possible)

Physical Activity (1- 10 pts possible)

Writing Conventions: 1-5pts

Points will be deducted for the following: No or limited (Bibliography/ In-text Citations) and failure to follow directions (5-60 pts).

REPLACEMENT FOR MY PLACE SUPERTRACKER

Posted Aug 24, 2018 1:47 PM

Dear Students: You can use this link for your nutrition project:

https://www.livestrong.com/myplate

Thanks!!