Lifestyle changes for weight loss and weight management are challenging for both new and seasoned dieters. For patients, learning about weight control can be overwhelming. For registered dietitians/nutritionists, counseling patients can be tedious, as the information is detailed and time-consuming. With rates of obesity and comorbid complications such as diabetes on the rise, more Americans seek nutrition advice for dietary management. In a collaborative effort from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Diabetes Association, the Choose Your Foods monograph, offered in both Weight Management and Diabetes versions, provides a sound educational tool for both nutrition learners and nutrition mentors.1,2

In 60 easy-to-read pages, each version of Choose Your Foods is a comprehensive guide, including specific components needed to build an appropriate meal plan for even the strictest diets. As an educational tool, the guide provides practitioners with a thorough lesson plan, organized into 3 main sections. First, general tips for patients who desire daily caloric balance explain the importance of physical activity, body weight monitoring, and food intake tracking. Next, the guide divides food into 3 major macronutrients: starches (otherwise known as carbohydrates), fats, and proteins. Starches are further separated into specific food lists for fruit, vegetables (both starchy and nonstarchy), and dairy/nondairy alternatives. From this clear division comes an additional table of acceptable "free foods" and less acceptable sweets, desserts, and fast food options. Commonly consumed "combination foods," comprising restaurant items and prepared meals, are included to a moderate extent.1,2^(pp20-48)

Each section includes tables listing the grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat and total calories for each food. While the guide includes portion sizes, it is done with minimal explanation and varying units (from clear objective measurements such as "ounces" to descriptive and more subjective measurements such as "small," "medium," or "large"). Symbols help the learning process, emphasizing various nutrients "to consume," that is, foods high in fiber, and other nutrients "to limit," such as foods high in added sodium and total fat. In the guide's version for Diabetes Mellitus, carbohydrate counting encourages glycemic control for those receiving insulin therapy.

Today's diets are tomorrow's fads, and America's waistline continues to grow with the times. With so many options available, today's meals can be a burdensome process of deciphering between endless choices. In attempt to solve this dilemma, Choose Your Foods provides extensive lists of many common foods consumed in the United States. Furthermore, the guides conclude with a comprehensive look into the Nutrition Facts Label, providing helpful tips for consumers who purchase packaged items.

With portion distortion a common fault of today's dieters, it is emphasized that these guides act only as a supplement to additional education for dietary management. Whether for weight loss, weight maintenance, or disease-specific meal planning, these food lists encourage a partnership between consumers and trained "diet professionals" or registered dietitians/nutritionists, a crucial aspect that many dieters mistakenly avoid when starting a new meal plan.

Choose Your Foods delivers a practical and comprehensive aid for creating meal plans, whether for weight loss, weight management, or a disease-specific carbohydrate-controlled diet. Although basic directions for the guides are provided, each serves as only a complement to additional nutrition education. Readers are encouraged to incorporate dual planning with diet professionals to set attainable goals for weight loss, weight management, and blood sugar (also known as blood glucose) control.

-Rachel Fine, MS, RD, CDN

Nutrition and Food Studies

New York University

New York

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