Health gurus agree on one diet to fight disease

UNIFIED DIETARY GUIDELINES No more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat No more than 30 percent of total calories from all types of fat 55 percent or more of daily calories from complex carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and vegetables Dietary cholesterol limited to 300 milligrams or less each day Salt intake limited to one teaspoon, or six grams each day

RELATED VIDEO CNN's Holly Firfer reports on the new guidelines for nutrition. Windows Media 28K 80K

ALSO USDA's Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children USDA's original Food Guide Pyramid

MESSAGE BOARD What do you think about the guidelines?

June 16, 1999
Web posted at: 1:52 p.m. EDT (1752 GMT)

(CNN) -- Using their own recommendations for preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, five of the nation's health organizations have jointly endorsed a healthy eating plan.

The Unified Dietary Guidelines were released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society, the American Dietetic Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.

These guidelines, based on the Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid and the recommended daily allowances for vitamins and minerals, are nothing new. But the groups hope drafting one eating plan will make it easier for people to follow a healthy diet.

They recommend a diet including no more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and no more than 30 percent of total calories from all types of fat.

Also suggested are 55 percent or more of daily calories from complex carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and vegetables.

Dietary cholesterol should be limited to 300 milligrams or less each day, which is less than the amount in two eggs. Salt intake should be limited to one teaspoon, or six grams, per day.

Pediatricians say these guidelines apply to children as young as 2. They hope to reverse the growing trend of obesity and prevent unnecessary illness later in life.

The plan will be published in the July 27 issue of the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

CNN Medical Correspondent Holly Firfer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.