Healthy Eating

The Division of Public Health recommends the tips on healthy eating in Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, a publication of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services. The four guidelines encourage healthy eating patterns at each stage of life. There is strong scientific evidence that these recommendations can help people achieve a healthy weight, reduce risk of chronic illnesses, and promote overall wellness. These guidelines recommend:

1. Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.
2. Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.
3. Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits.
4. Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.

To help consumers follow the guidelines, USDA has developed a web site called ChooseMyPlate, with useful tips, recipes, menus, and advice for healthy eating.

The Healthy Eating Index is a tool designed to evaluate how well a set of foods and beverages aligns with dietary patterns recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Poor nutrition can affect the health of children, as well as adults. People with healthy eating patterns live longer and are at lower risk for serious health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Weight-related diseases formerly identified primarily in adults are now being observed in children and adolescents with excess body fat.

Healthy Kids Healthy Future is a national effort led by Nemours Children's Health to empower early care and education providers to make positive health changes in their child care programs. It was founded on the idea that building healthy habits early can have lasting impact on children as they grow and develop. Through success stories, it features the work of Delaware's child care providers and shines a national spotlight on the great work that is being done to make a difference in the lives of young children.

Links for Nutrition Information

• For more information about nutrition, visit the CDC Nutrition website.
• Nutrition.gov — a portal for nutrition information from U.S. government agencies

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