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Q.
What nutrition advice do experts within the United States
government have for the public?
A. Nutrition experts have developed the:
Q. How
can I get nutrition advice about a medical condition?
A. For counseling:
- Talk with your physician
or other health professional about referring you to a
Registered Dietitian (RD). An
RD can provide personalized dietary advice taking into
consideration your
health status (such as other medical conditions), lifestyle, and food
likes
and dislikes.
-
The American Dietetics
Association has a Find A Nutritional Professional service allows you to locate an RD
in your geographical area with particular specialties (such as weight
control,
diabetes, digestive disorders, etc.).
- Check with your local
Health Department, hospitals, clinics, and Cooperative
Extension for informational classes such as weight loss.
Web information:
- You may find some useful
nutrition information on the Web. Web sites however, do not take the
place
of personalized advice from a qualified health professional, and may
have
inaccurate or misleading information.
-
Topics A-Z is an extensive list of resources for
both professionals and consumers that
includes diseases and related nutrition topics.
Q. How
can I learn more about food allergies?
A. There are many reliable
resources on the Web
Q.
Do you have a good explanation of the information
on food labels?
A. We recommend the following:
Q.
What about popular
weight loss diets?
A. Weight loss diets have been popular
for many years. Many people have, in fact, followed a weight loss diet at
one
time or another. Unfortunately, most results are not permanent and some
pose
serious health risks. The popular low-carbohydrate high-protein diet is
an
example of a strict weight loss program that may carry potentially
serious health
risks.
Before you begin any weight loss program, it is wise
to speak to a qualified health professional such as a Registered Dietitian for advice on a program that is right for
you. To locate a Registered Dietitian in your area, search the American Dietetic Association's Find a Nutrition Professional resource.
You may find some useful information
on the Web about weight loss and healthy eating. This is only for
information
purposes and does not take the place of personalized advice from a
qualified
health professional who is familiar with your particular situation. Also,
though
the Web can provide useful information, some of the information can be
inaccurate
or misleading. Many sites devoted to weight loss are marketing special
products.
Q.
Where can I find information on dietary supplements?
A. Many web sites on the Internet related to dietary supplements are maintained
by manufacturers and retailers which will sell you supplements. You
may be able find some useful information on the Internet about dietary
supplements and health or your particular medical condition, but keep
in mind that this is only for information purposes and does not take
the place of personalized advice from a qualified health professional
who is familiar with your particular situation. Also, keep in mind
that while the Internet can provide useful information about dietary
supplements, some of the information can be inaccurate or misleading.
We advise that you discuss the issue of dietary supplements and alternative
medicine with your healthcare provider.
General dietary supplement information
Herbal Information
Technical Information
Alternative Medicine
Q.
Does USDA have menus or recipes for
people
on a budget?
A. Recipes and menus for people on a budget can be found at:
Q. What are the most important things I can do to avoid foodborne illness?
A. The four most important points
to remember are:
1. Wash your hands frequently
2. Cook to proper temperatures
3. Refrigerate foods promptly
4. Avoid cross contamination
For more food safety information:
Q.
Where can I get information on the level of
calories, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals in various foods?
A. Food composition tables provide calories and nutrients
for many foods.
Q.
I am confused about different types of fats
like saturated, trans, etc. Can you help?
A. Reliable Web sites where you can find the answers:
Q.
I am a student doing a paper on nutrition. Can you send me information?
A. If you have
not found what you want on our Consumer Corner, we would recommend
that you visit the Food
and Nutrition Information Center's (FNIC) home page. You can
get there by clicking on the red apple logo marked "FNIC Home" in
the top left corner of this page.
The FNIC Web site contains an extensive amount of food and nutrition-related
information. You may use the Search option to locate information
on the Web site about a specific topic you are interested in.
Or click on the green navigation buttons on the left side.
Our Topics
A-Z page contains the FNIC Web site content listed alphabetically
by topic. You can also use the Search option in the Topics A-Z
listing to locate a topic of interest.
Other resources on our Web site that students find helpful are:
- FNIC Resource List
bibliographies on a number of topics such as eating disorders, nutrition education for
children, food safety, dietary supplements, and many more. Two that are popular with
students are:
- Databases including AGRICOLA, the National
Agricultural Library's searchable bibliographic database.
- FNIC's
Reports and Studies
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