DIT PROJECT
REPORT SUMMARY QUESTIONS
1. How does your diet compare to your recommended intake for each of these food groups:
grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and protein foods? (9 pts)
To answer this question, review your MyPlate Analysis on your 3-Day Average report. Be sure to
use data from this report (% of goal for each group and/or numbers of servings recommended vs.
actual servings eaten) to back up your statements. (Keep in mind that these food group serving
recommendations are suggested targets for good health and are not upper limits.) Consider the
types of grains you ate: Do you think that at least half of your grains were whole grains as
recommended? Explain. For vegetables and proteins, did you eat the varieties recommended on
the My Plate Analysis? Explain. If you are consuming fewer servings than recommended from any
of the food groups, explain why this is the case; also include possible health consequences. If you
are consuming more servings than recommended from any of the food groups, explain why this is
the case; include possible health benefits and/or consequences. Include very specific
food/beverage suggestions for improving your food group consumption if you think improvements
are needed. If you met all of the recommendations, make an overall statement of
adequacy, and discuss health benefits.
2. How do your dietary levels of fiber, total carbohydrate, and % calories from carbohydrate
compare to the recommendations? Are you eating the right kinds of high carbohydrate
foods? (7 pts)
Use your Intake vs. Goals summary and your Macronutrient Ranges (on your 3- Day
Average report) to answer this question. How does your 3-day average fiber intake compare
to your recommended fiber intake? Explain, using data from your Intake vs. Goals summary in
your answer. Also discuss health effects (positive or negative) of your total fiber intake. What %
of your calories were from carbohydrate (see your Macronutrient Ranges), and how does this
compare to the recommended range for % of calories from carbohydrate? Use data in your answer.
What was your 3-day average intake of carbohydrate in grams? How does this compare to your
carbohydrate DRI (in grams)? Do you think you are eating enough carbohydrate to meet your
needs? Explain. Are you eating the right kinds of high carbohydrate foods? Consider whether you
are eating enough nutritious sources of carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole
grains. and dairy (or milk substitutes). What is your opinion of your added sugar intake (high, low,
moderate?), considering the types of foods and beverages you usually consume? If you think
you need to make any changes to the types of high carbohydrate foods you eat, provide very
specific suggestions (including specific food and/or beverage ideas) for accomplishing this. If you
met your fiber and carbohydrate recommendations and think you are eating nutritious sources of
carbohydrates, provide an overall statement of adequacy and discuss health benefits.
3. Is your total fat intake within a healthy range? Are you eating the right types of dietary fats?
(9 pts)
First, give an overview of your dietary fat intake, using data from your Intake vs. Goals, Fat
Breakdown, and Macronutrient Ranges summaries (all part of your 3-Day Average report). What
was your total average fat intake in grams, and how does this compare to your DRI for fat? Include
the data in your answer. What % of your calories are from fat, and how does this compare to the
recommended range for % of calories from fat (see your Macronutrient Ranges summary). Also
explain and evaluate your 3-day average dietary levels of saturated fat and essential fatty acids
(Linoleic and Linolenic Acids) from your Intake vs. Goals summary. Include data in your
answer. On your Fat Breakdown summary, find the type of fat (saturated, monounsaturated,
polyunsaturated) that contributed the highest % of calories, and include this in your answer. What
was your 3-day intake of trans fats (in grams)? Do you usually eat seafood (a good source of the
omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA)? Then explain whether or not you think you have a healthy
dietary fat profile. Include reasons why you think your fat profile is healthy or not. Include health
effects (positive and/or negative) of this dietary fat pattern. If you think you need to make
improvements in the types or amounts of fats you eat, explain why, and give very specific
suggestions for accomplishing this.
4. Is your calorie intake appropriate? (7 pts.)
Look at the Energy Balance summary at the end of your 3-Day Average report. How did your 3-
day average calorie intake compare to your calorie recommendation? Be sure to use data from
your Energy Balance summary in your answer. If your calorie intake is significantly over or under
your recommended calorie level, explain what this means for your weight and health. If you met
the calorie recommendation, include a statement of adequacy and discuss health benefits. If you
disagree with your recommended calorie level, be sure to explain your reasoning for this. What is
your average daily empty calorie intake (from your MyPlate Analysis on your 3-Day Average
report), and what is your evaluation of this? Use data in your answer. (Your empty calorie goal is a
suggested upper limit.) Do you think you are consuming enough calories to be able to meet your
needs for essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc-)? Consider (and discuss) the overall results
of your Intake vs. Goals summary (at the top of your 3-Day Average report) to answer this part of
the question. (A reasonable calorie intake is needed to be able to meet nutritional needs. People on
low calorie diets typically do not eat enough food to meet their needs for all of the essential
nutrients.) If you need to increase or decrease your calorie intake, or if you need to make changes
to the types of foods that provide you with calories, give very specific suggestions (including
specific food and/or beverage ideas) for accomplishing this.
5. What are your major food sources of select vitamins? (7 pts.)
Choose 3 vitamins to evaluate. Look at your Intake Spreadsheets for all 3 days (in your 3-Day
Average report) to answer this question. (Alpha-Tocopherol is vitamin E. Vitamin A is listed two
ways, in RAE and IU. If you choose to evaluate your vitamin A intake, use the category that gave
you the best results.) In your written report, name the 3 vitamins you have selected to evaluate for
this question, and briefly explain why you have chosen these. Name your top 2 food sources of
each one of these 3 vitamins (the foods with the highest amounts per serving of each one of these
vitamins from your Intake Spreadsheets for all 3 days). Then identify and name 2 more good food
sources of each one of these 3 vitamins (these don’t have to be foods on your food log). How hard
or easy is it for you to consume the recommended amounts of these 3 vitamins? Explain your
answer.
6. Are you meeting your needs for vitamins? (8 pts.) Analyze the adequacy of your vitamin intake
using data from your Intake vs. Goals summary. Which vitamins are you consuming in the right
amounts? List these. These are the ones shown as 100% or more of your DRIs on your Intake vs.
Goals summary. (Your goal is to obtain 100% of the DRI for each vitamin.) Which vitamins did
you consume in amounts below the DRIs? List them. These will be shown as less than 100% of
your DRI.on your Intake vs. Goals summary. Did you consume less than 75% of the DRI for any
vitamin? If yes, list these, and explain possible health consequences. Then give very specific
suggestions for how you could consume more of each of these vitamins from foods and beverages.
What are some major health benefits and/or consequences of your current vitamin intake levels?
Explain. If you need to adjust your vitamin intake, explain specific ways to accomplish this
through changes to the types and/or amounts of foods and beverages you consume.
7. What are your major food sources of select minerals? (7 pts)
Choose 3 minerals to evaluate. Look at your Intake Spreadsheets for all 3 days (in your 3-Day
Average report) to answer this question. In your written report, name the 3 minerals you have
selected to evaluate for this question, and briefly explain why you have chosen these. Name your
top 2 food sources of each one of these 3 minerals (the foods with the highest amounts per
serving of each one of these minerals from your Intake Spreadsheets for all 3 days). Then identify
and name 2 more good food sources of each of these 3 minerals (these don’t have to be foods on
your food log). How hard or easy is it for you to consume the recommended amounts of these 3
minerals? Explain your answer.
8. Are you meeting your needs for minerals? (7 pts.)
Analyze the adequacy of your mineral intake using data from your Intake vs. Goal summary.
Which minerals are you consuming in the right amounts? List these. These are the ones show as
100% or more of the DRI on your Intake vs. Goals summary. Which minerals did you consume in
amounts below the DRI? List these. These are shown as less than 100% of the DRI on your Intake
vs. Goals summary. Did you consume less than 75% of the DRI for any mineral? If yes, list these,
and explain possible health consequences. Then give very specific suggestions for how you can
consume more of these minerals from foods and beverages. What is your evaluation of your
sodium intake? Include health benefits if you meet or are close to the DRI for sodium, and health
consequences if you are over the UL for sodium (the UL for sodium is 2300 mg/day). Do you
think you need to adjust your intake of sodium or any other mineral? Explain. If yes, also give
very specific suggestions for how you can do this through changes to the types and/or amounts of
foods and beverages you consume.
9. a). Are you currently taking nutrition supplements? List all of the nutrition
supplements you take, and give the reason(s) you take them. If you don’t take supplements,
say so, and explain why you do not take them. (2 pts. for 9a.)
b). Do you think you need any nutrition supplements? Explain, and refer to data from
your printouts to back up your answer. If you are currently taking nutrition supplements,
include whether or not you think you need to continue to take these supplements; explain, and
refer to data from your printouts to back up your answer. (2 pts. for 9b.)
10. What is your evaluation of your total water intake? (7 pts.)
Report your 3-day average total water intake in ml (from your Intake vs. Goals summary. Grams
of water = ml of water.). The AI for total water is 2700 ml/day for healthy adult women and 3700
ml/day for healthy adult men. (Total water means water from fluids + food.) Compare your 3-day
average total water intake to your AI for water (use data in your answer). Do you think you drink
enough fluids? Consider any extra fluid needs you may have when you answer this part of the
question (i.e. physical activity, breastfeeding, health issues, etc-). Are you drinking the right
kinds of fluids? Explain your answer. If you need to make changes to the types or amounts of
fluids you drink, give specific ideas for accomplishing this. (If you need to increase fluids, be
sure your answer explains how much more fluid/day you need plus your plans for achieving
this.)
11. What are the two biggest strengths of your usual diet? (6 pts.) Be sure to give specific
reasons why these are major benefits of your usual eating pattern. Include health
benefits.
12. What are the two biggest areas of weakness of your usual diet? (7 pts.) Explain your answer.
Be sure to give reasons why you think these are the two biggest areas of weakness of your usual
diet. Also explain at least two specific dietary modifications that you think you can implement to
improve these 2 aspects of your diet. You need to provide details of these specific
improvements to get full credit for this answer.