Meet Your Wellness Goals in the New Year with the USDA DRI Calculator for Healthcare Professionals App

From USDA:

Posted by Food and Nutrition Information Center Staff, National Agricultural Library, on January 20, 2015 at 3:00 PM

New “USDA Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) Calculator for Healthcare Professionals” app allows users to keep track of nutrient calculations and recommendations based on the DRI values.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

The USDA National Agricultural Library’s (NAL) Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) today launched its mobile application, or “app,” which calculates Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs).  The “USDA Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) Calculator for Healthcare Professionals” app allows users to keep track of nutrient calculations and recommendations that are based on the DRI values in a more convenient and user-friendly format. Through this new app, healthcare professionals can save time in the nutrition care process for patients and clients, while having access to credible nutrition guidance.

The National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine first developed the DRIs in the mid-1990s. DRIs are recommended amounts of each nutrient a healthy person should consume to prevent deficiency or harmful health effects. Initially presented in tables, this information allows healthcare professionals to use the DRIs to assess and plan diets for groups or individuals. For example, if you are a female between 19 and 50, your registered dietitian or doctor may recommend that you increase your dairy consumption to meet the 1,000mg/day calcium recommendation outlined in the DRIs. The DRIs are also used in policy-making such as setting calorie and sodium guidelines for healthy school lunches.

In 2009, FNIC released the Interactive DRI for Healthcare Professionals tool on their website, which made using DRIs even easier. Instead of viewing multiple tables to determine recommendations for one patient, this Web tool offered dietitians, physicians, nurses and other practitioners an efficient way to assess and plan diets for clients and patients. By entering a person’s height, weight, age and activity level, users can receive calorie and nutrient recommendations, as well as body mass index (BMI). With the release of the app, information is even more accessible to the clinician on the go. Users also can save calculations and email the results to themselves, patients or clients.

The DRI app includes user-friendly features such as pregnancy weight gain charts, DRI glossary terms, bookmarking and note saving options. Bookmarking and note saving allow users to personalize the app and organize information for later reference.

Although the DRI recommendations are based on current scientific knowledge, they are not appropriate for everyone. Underlying illness and vitamin deficiencies are just two reasons why your nutrient needs might be different from the recommendations. To figure out your nutrient needs, talk with your healthcare provider or find a registered dietitian near you.

To download the DRI app, go to the iTunes or Google Play stores. This app is free and currently available for iPhones, iPads and Android devices. NAL is part of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and serves as an extensive resource for agricultural information. For more information on the DRIs or the DRI app, or to learn more about NAL services please visit the NAL website.

The Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge! Summer Fun that Helps Kids Learn

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Judy Wilson, Director of Nutrition Services, Food and Nutrition Service and Rebecca Gates, Nutrition.gov, on August 28, 2013 at 3:45 PM

This is a screen capture from the Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge online game for kids. The Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge teaches moms and children about healthy habits and provides practical ways they can incorporate them.

It’s summer time! And kids’ thoughts naturally turn to ways to have fun and enjoy themselves! Moms, on the other hand, want kids to continue to learn and develop their skills while they enjoy the lazy days of summer.  The Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge is an online game that meets the needs of moms and kids. The game inspires kids to jump into good nutrition and have fun while learning. It also helps kids to make good food choices and encourages them to be physically active between events to warm them up for the next challenge and to celebrate!

In this online game from USDA, kids pick their player and progress through four track and field events including the javelin, high jump, long jump, and the dash. To win, players must quickly pick the right answer to questions about healthy eating and nutrition. As players advance from one event to the next, they are encouraged to be active: “Now jump up and down five times to celebrate!” When kids answer correctly, their players get a medal at the end of the game. Questions are randomly selected so kids can play multiple times to get a better score or “go for the gold” on the winner’s stand.

Moms can feel good knowing that this video game reinforces the healthy eating habits they want their kids to develop. The game is also a fun, interactive way for moms and kids to enjoy their time together while learning about whole grains, fruits, vegetables and foods made with low fat milk. The Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge also provides practical ways mom and child can apply what they learn. The kids’ activity sheets reinforce the skills kids learn in the game, and are an excellent “quiet time” activity for rainy summer days!

Check out the Especially for Moms resources; this page includes kid-friendly recipes, videos, fact sheets and easy, low-cost ways to make fruits, veggies, low-fat milk and whole grains a part of family meals and snacks.

Nutrition.gov provides easy, online access to government information on food and human nutrition for consumers and is managed by the USDA National Agricultural Library (NAL) Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC). More resources about nutrition, healthy eating and physical activity can be found at www.Nutrition.gov.

This is a screen capture from the Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge online game for kids. The Track & Field Fuel-Up Challenge teaches moms and children about healthy habits and provides practical ways they can incorporate them.