U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and
Services Administration
This tool helps providers make physical activity and healthy eating recommendations based on patients answers to the "Getting Started" questions in the Guide, "My Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for Young Women". The questions included in this tool provide an assessment of current behaviors based on a typical day and lend themselves to general recommendations. Providers are encouraged to use their professional judgment and patient history when making specific recommendations. Questions #3, 11, and 12 have been omitted because they assess preferences, barriers, and perceptions – not behaviors – and are therefore more helpful with goal-setting activities.
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and Answers Highlighted answers do not meet guidelines therefore change is recommended. |
Relevant Guidelines Based on Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. |
General Recommendations Recommendations for answers that require behavior change to be recorded on page 12 of Guide. |
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| Physical Activity - For more information, refer patient to pages 16-18 of the Guide and the wallet card | ||||||
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1. How many days a week do you do physical activity?
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Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily. | Be physically active more days of the week. | ||||
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2. How much time do you spend doing physical activity on a typical day?
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Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily. | Physical activity may be done all at once or can be broken up into small sessions, e.g. 20 minutes, 3 times per day. | ||||
| Healthy Eating1 - For more information, refer patients to pages 19-24 of the Guide and the wallet card | ||||||
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4. How often do you have foods from the milk group?
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Have 3 cups from the milk group, each day. |
Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese. If lactose-intolerant, try low-fat, lactose-free milk. |
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5. How often do you have foods from the meat and beans group ?
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Eat 5-6½ ounces from the meat and beans group each day. |
Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Eat more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. |
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6. How often do you eat fruit or drink 100% fruit juice?
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Eat at least 1½ - 2 cups of fruits each day. |
Eat a variety of fruits rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. |
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7. How often do you eat vegetables or drink 100% vegetable juice?
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Eat 2-3 cups of vegetables each day. |
Eat a variety of vegetables. Eat more dark green and orange vegetables, and cooked dry beans, like pinto beans. |
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8. How often do you eat foods from the grains group?
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Eat 5-8 ounces from the grains group each day. |
At least half of all grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and brown rice. |
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9. How often do you eat candy, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, candy bars, or chips?
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Limit sweets/added sugars and foods high in fat and oils. |
Cut down on sweets, foods high in sugars, fat and oils. Get most of your calories from grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and lean meats and beans. |
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10. How often do you drink soda, soft drinks, pop, or sweetened tea?
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Limit added sugars. |
Make sure soft drinks and other sweetened drinks do not crowd out other foods/drinks for good health such as low-fat or fat-free milk or soy beverages. |
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1Questions in this section ask about food frequency (how many times a day a young woman eats something) rather than the number of “servings” she eats each day. This is because generally people find it easier to think about how often they eat a type of food. In addition, a “serving” consumed during a meal may not equal a “serving” as it relates to the Dietary Guidelines. Therefore, when you review the questions with your patients, ask them about the size of the serving they typically choose to help assess whether or not they are meeting the guidelines for number of servings per day.