A new edition of “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005” was announced last week by the Department of Health and Family Services and the Department of Agriculture.

Key recommendations include eating a variety of foods, managing weight with physical activity, sustaining weight loss effectively and consuming fewer than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.

To reduce the risk of chronic disease, the guidelines recommend engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity “most days of the week.” To manage body weight and prevent gradual weight gain, 60 minutes is recommended; and to sustain weight loss into adulthood, 60 to 90 minutes of daily exercise is recommended. The allotted times can be broken up throughout the day.

“This is not the first time the government has tried to motivate and intervene the public to be more active,” Lori Devine, University of Wisconsin fitness director, said. “The report says what many of us have said for years — physical activity is important to reduce chronic disease, anxiety and stress.”

The new guidelines go into much more detail than the last set of dietary guidelines issued in 2000. The full document, intended for professionals, is more than 80 pages long.

Although many of the recommendations have remained unchanged for years, there are several new additions to the 2005 guidelines.

“Basically, the No. 1 change … is that there is more emphasis on meeting caloric needs with physical activity without increasing [unhealthy-food] consumption,” said UW Nutritional Science Professor Hui-Chaun Lai.

There were only three primary recommendation topics in 2000. The topic number for this year was increased to nine areas. The expansion is primarily due to the new inclusion of special-population groups, such as pregnant women and the elderly, said Lai.

Another difference in this edition of the guidelines is that the 2000 edition was targeted at consumers, while the lengthy document of 2005 is aimed at professionals such as nutritionists and dieticians.

“From a professional standpoint, [the guidelines] are much more helpful [than the 2000 edition], but the information is even too technical for professionals,” Lai said.

A consumer brochure, as well as a list of the key recommendations for the general population, was issued separately from the lengthy document. The guidelines can be accessed at www.health.gov.

Some nutritionists are unsure of whether the new guidelines will be helpful for Americans.

Devine said one major barrier in American culture is that people do not have the patience to adhere to an exercise program.

“I’m skeptical to how well the American public will receive this,” Devine said.

Kira Wilson, a registered dietitian who works at UW Hospitals and Clinics, said the guidelines are very useful for nutritionists and professionals to use with patients on a day-to-day basis.

“[We’re] taking a step in the right direction,” Wilson said.

The Southeast Recreational Facility has been seeing a larger number of students since the start of the year, primarily due to New Year’s resolutions and the time of the year, said Devine. More than 4,500 people walked through the SERF doors on Tuesday of this week alone.

“Over half of these people won’t be here in April,” Devine said.

Lai said the most important guidelines for college students to follow are to increase physical activity while still meeting caloric needs. Also, for women, calcium intakes should be increased. Establishing good eating habits now will benefit you for the rest of your life, she said.

“Your body is like a bank. If you make more deposits than withdrawals, you’ll have a big account,” Devine said.