Brusasco, J.M. (2014) Revised Diet Analysis Project
Diet Analysis Project
Assignment Outline and Rubric (100 points)
The purpose of this assignment is to gain practical experience using several different areas to
evaluate the adequacy of your diet: comparison with the MyPlate, comparison with the
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), calorie intake and energy need estimation. This project
is an in-depth analysis of your personal dietary intake. This assignment is NOT question and
answer, but rather a guideline to help you analyze the reports printed out from the Diet Analysis
PLUS. For instructions for the Diet Analysis PLUS see pages 1-26 in the textbook.
This project should be turned in on time, organized to match the rubric outline (sections A, B, C, D,
and E & F) and in a project folder. Each week until the deadline the class will discuss a new
section, it is important to keep up with the weekly assignment in order to be adequately prepared to
turn in the completed project.
Sections/Tabs
A. 3 Day Diet Record (10 points)
Keep a record of everything you eat for 3 consecutive days. Be sure to include all
consumptions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and including liquid. The more accurate
your record, the more accurate the data will be for analysis. NEXT input the daily log into
the Diet Analysis PLUS by clicking on the Track Diet. Print out the Daily Food Log for
each day, you should have at least 3 pages.
SAMPLE
Joyce Marie Brusasco, brusasjm@lamission.edu
Profile: Joyce Marie, Daily Food Log for Apr 08, 2014
Breakfast
Pancakes (Master Mix)
Coffee, Brewed
Blueberries
Tangerine
Lunch
THINKTHIN Protein Bar, Chunky Peanut
Butter, Gluten Free
Emergen-C
Dinner
SIMPLY MACARONI & CHEESE
1 svg.
16 fl. oz.
0.5 c.
2 item
130 kcal
5 kcal
41 kcal
93 kcal
1 item
240 kcal
9.3 g
20 kcal
3 c.
840 kcal
Total: 1369 kcal
B. Comparison with the My Plate Analysis (15 points)
By comparing your diet with the recommendation in the My Plate, you will have an
indication of the balance of your diet. This section of your project must include a written
analysis of your intake, compared with the diet planning guide.
or
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Brusasco, J.M. (2014) Revised Diet Analysis Project
Here are questions you should consider when analyzing and be sure to write in paragraph form:
 What did you learn about your diet when comparing it with this government standard?
 If your intake did not meet the minimum number of servings from a USDA Food Group
(see page 40 & 41 in the textbook), then list some of the reasons why.
 What nutrients are you getting from your food choices? Based on the food groups (page
40 & 41)?
 Did your diet provide an adequate variety of foods or were your choice monotonous?
 What could you do to improve the variety in your diet?
 What were the strengths of this 3 day diet?
C. Compare your intake with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) (40 points)
Print out the Intake Spreadsheet for all 3 days – this print out will be approximately 9 pages
SAMPLE
Profile: Joyce Marie, Intake Spreadsheet for Apr 10, 2014
Item Name
Meal
Quantity
Banana
Breakfast
Coffee, Brewed
Breakfast
Kale
Breakfast
Blueberries
Breakfast
FAGE TOTAL Yogurt, 0%
Breakfast
Item Name
Protein(g)
Banana
1.29
Coffee, Brewed
0.57
Kale
2.76
Blueberries
0.54
FAGE TOTAL Yogurt, 0% Fat, 9
Plain
Wt(g)
1 item(s) - Medium
118
16 fluid ounce(s)
474
1.25 cup(s) - chopped
83.75
0.5 cup(s)
72.5
0.5 serving(s) - 1 serving is 6 oz 85
Carb(g)
Fat(g)
26.95
0.39
0
0.09
8.38
0.59
10.51
0.24
3.5
0
Kcal(kcal)
105.02
4.74
41.88
41.33
50
Sat Fat(g)
0.13
0.01
0.08
0.02
0
Print out the Intake vs. Goals for all 3 days – this should only be a couple of pages.
SAMPLE
Profile: Joyce Marie, Intake vs. Goals for Apr 8, 2014 - Apr 10, 2014
Energy
Fat
Nutrient
Kilocalories
Protein
Carbohydrate
Fat, Total
Saturated Fat
Monounsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated Fat
Trans Fatty Acid
Cholesterol
DRI
2120 kcal
52.62 g
236.0 - 341.0 g
46.0 - 81.0 g
< 21 g
*
*
*
< 300 mg
Intake
1,000.54 kcal
35.2 g
102.34 g
17.82 g
7.4 g
0.27 g
0.51 g
0g
40.12 mg
%
47%
67%
30%
22%
35%
13%
Essential Fatty Acids
When analyzing this section, you need to consult the very front of the textbook page A & B. This
chart at the front of the textbook will help you find the RDA for your age and gender.
Here are questions you should consider when analyzing and be sure to write in paragraph form:
 Do you meet the dietary recommendations?
 What do you learn about the foods you ate from the reports (be specific with several items)?
 Are you regularly including nutrient dense foods in your diet?
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Brusasco, J.M. (2014) Revised Diet Analysis Project






Which nutrients are high and which are low?
Is it okay to be consuming less than the recommendation for some nutrients? If yes,
which nutrients and why?
What could be potential problems if your intake stayed at the level it is now?
Did your suspicions of low nutrient intake from the MyPlate analysis in Part B come
true when comparing to your actual intake? Why or why not?
List 3 good food sources for each nutrient that was less than the RDA – then write what
changes could you make to improve the quality of your dietary intake.
How is the sodium intake? What can you do to your diet to reduce sodium?
D. Percentage of Calories (10 points)
Print out the Macronutrient Distribution Range Report
SAMPLE
Carbs
Protein
Fats
Recommended
Yours
45%-65%
954-1,378 kcal
10%-35%
212-742 kcal
20%-35%
424-742 kcal
41%
14%
16%
409 kcal
141 kcal
160 kcal
Here are questions you should consider when analyzing and be sure to write in paragraph form:
 What do the percentages tell you about your diet?
 In the chart there is the most recent recommended of carbs, proteins and fats plus your
actual intake. If your percentages were not within the recommendations what do you
think might be the reason?
 What improvements could you make in your diet to meet the recommended percentages
of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats?
E. Energy Need Estimation (10 points)
Track your activity for 3 days and input your data by clicking on the activity tab.
Use the Intake vs. Goals chart and the Activities Spreadsheet Report.
Print out the Activities Spreadsheet Report for all 3 days – this should only be 3 pages
SAMPLE
Profile: Joyce Marie, Activities Spreadsheet for Apr 08, 2014
Activity Name
Home activities, Serving food, setting
table-implied walking or standing
Shopping, walking
Walking, 3.0 mph, moderate, level
Basal Metabolic Rate
Totals:
Rate(kcals/kg/hour)
2.5
Duration(min)
60
Calories Burned
164
2.3
3.3
1.1
60
40
1280
24 hours
151
145
1543
2003
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Brusasco, J.M. (2014) Revised Diet Analysis Project
Here are questions you should consider when analyzing and be sure to write in paragraph form:
 How do your total daily calorie needs compare to your average calorie intake?
 Which calorie level do you think is more accurate and why?
 What would you expect to happen to your weight if you eat at the level of your dietary
analysis?
 How did your energy intake compare with your actual need?
 What problem areas could you see with your current energy intake?
 Where can you increase your level of activity?
F. Conclusion (10 points)
Here are questions you should consider when analyzing and be sure to write in paragraph form:
 How do you view your diet as a whole?
 What do you think were the most important findings in your Diet Analysis Project?
 Briefly discuss how the MyPlate findings compare with the nutritional analysis findings.
 How do the percentages of carbohydrates, fats and proteins fit into the total diet picture?
 Did your intake with the RDA confirm your suspicions of either excessive or low intakes of
specific nutrients?
 If you take vitamin/mineral supplements, do you think they are necessary? Why or why not?
 What did you learn about fiber and saturated/total fat intake?
 What nutritional goals have you set as a result of this project?
 Give 3 specific things you will change in your intake and activity as a result of doing this
project.
G. Portfolio Presentation (5 points)
The project will need to be submitted at the beginning of class on the due date in a presentation
folder. The paragraphs answering the questions should be short essays, typed in 12 font in
Times Roman and double spaced.
Be sure to include:
o A cover page
o Tabs for sections A-F
o All printed reports from the Diet Analysis Plus program
o All answers to the analysis questions need to be in short essays and typed.
o Include this rubric at the end of the portfolio
10 points
15 points
40 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
5 points
100 points
(-)
A. 3 Day Diet Record
B. Comparison with MyPlate
C. Compare intake with RDA
Percentage of Calories
Energy Need Estimation
Conclusion
Portfolio
Subtotal
points (minus ½ point for each error, up to 10 points maximum) Spelling and Grammar errors
Grand Total
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