Unfortunately, the dietary goals set forth in Healthy People 2020 don’t align with what many Americans eat. Over the years, the U.S. government has monitored the health of Americans through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a survey that collects data about food and nutrient consumption. And the picture isn’t always pretty.

NATIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXAMINATION SURVEY (NHANES)

a group of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States

Although the U.S. food supply is abundant, we are experiencing major shortfalls in certain essential nutrients and excesses in others. Approximately half of Americans don’t get enough of the mineral magnesium, another 40% have low vitamin A intake, while another 30% are not getting enough vitamin C. We consume less than half of the recommended amount (at least seven cups per week) of red, orange, and deep-green vegetables. Snacks provide one-third of all daily calories from empty calories (calories with few nutrients)—namely, solid fats (butter, shortening, fat in meat), added sugars, (syrups and other caloric sweeteners) and refined starches. For adults and children older than two years, nutrition surveys reveal that most Americans significantly exceed recommended limits for these empty calorie foods. Grain-based desserts, such as cake or cookies, account for a greater proportion of daily calories than any other food group.

These nationwide data are very concerning to nutrition scientists, including Waterland, now an associate professor at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

Although Waterland studies the effects of nutrients on future generations, he urges us to eat in a way that promotes our own health and well-being. Waterland explains: “The more variety of things you eat, the better, because there’s still so much that we don’t understand about nutrition,” says Waterland. “The safest bet is to eat a wide variety of foods, so you’re exposing your body to all the potential benefits. Not just the epigenetic benefits, but others that we know about, and still others we haven’t discovered yet.”