Nutrition Month an opportunity to learn about healthy habits

Dietary needs change through a person’s lifespan

Carson City March 03, 2021

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture urge Nevadans to participate in National Nutrition Month by learning about their individual nutrition and physical activity needs.

For National Nutrition Month 2021, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends people adjust their eating habits to address the nutritional needs of their bodies during all stages of life. A healthy diet is associated with a decreased risk for many health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers, which are among the top 10 causes of deaths in Nevada.

Every year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics announces a theme to promote throughout National Nutrition Month. The 2021 theme, Personalize Your Plate, promotes creating nutritious meals to meet individuals’ cultural and personal food preferences. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages everyone to make informed food choices and develop sound eating habits and physical activities that they can follow all year long.

The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released in December 2020. The Dietary Guidelines provide scientific advice to help people of all ages meet their dietary needs while limiting added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. These federal guidelines are issued and updated every five years.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on nutrition needs through the lifespan of an individual.

Nutritional needs change throughout a person’s life and National Nutrition Month is an opportunity to learn about healthy dietary patterns for every life stage.

For about the first 6 months of life, exclusively feed infants human milk. Continue to feed infants human milk through at least the first year of life, and longer if desired. If human milk is not available, feed infants iron-fortified infant formula during the first year of life. Provide infants with supplemental vitamin D beginning soon after birth.
At about 6 months, introduce infants to nutrient-dense complementary foods. Introduce infants to potentially allergenic foods along with other complementary foods. Encourage infants and toddlers to consume a variety of foods from all food groups and include foods rich in iron and zinc, particularly for infants fed human milk.
From 12 months through older adulthood, follow a healthy dietary pattern across the lifespan to meet nutritional needs, help achieve a healthy body weight, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The Nevada Nutrition Unit encompasses the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDPHP) program and the Office of Food Security and Wellness. The Nutrition Unit works collaboratively with state programs including Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD), Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), SNAP, Medicaid, Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Section, Nevada Early Intervention Services (NEIS), Office of Minority Health and Equity (OMHE) and the Nevada Indian Commission (NIC) to improve diet quality and address health disparities for Nevadans across all life stages. The Nutrition Unit aims to prevent obesity and chronic disease through implementing evidence-based strategies which encourage healthy eating and feeding behaviors from birth through older adulthood.

For information on food assistance programs and about the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, go to: http://dpbh.nv.gov

Governor Steve Sisolak declared March as Nutrition Month in Nevada

Contact

Shannon Litz
Public Information Officer, Director's Office