Bio 120 Nutrition
Nutrition Diet Analysis Assignment
The goal of this project is to have you apply what you have learned in class to your personal life. This
project requires you to write a detailed report of your typical diet. The emphasis is to summarize your
current dietary trends using a three day average. Where possible, compare or contrast your findings
with the concepts we discussed in class.
Maintain a three day food intake record noting all foods and beverages consumed using household
measures and weights, method of preparation, and brand names. Make your record as complete and as
accurate as possible. For example, if you drink milk, specify whole, 2%, 1% or skim. The more detailed
the record, the more accurate you analysis will be. If you consume “recipe” meals, they must be
broken down into individual components (ex. Chicken salad: 1 cup chicken, ¼ cup full fat mayonnaise,
¼ cup sweet onion, ¼ cup celery). Additionally, saving the label information for “ready to eat”
packaged food is a good idea. The program has an enormous number of foods to choose from, but
you can “Create a New Food” if you can’t find a match (but you’ll need the Nutrition Facts Label to do
it).
Enter this information into the Diet Analysis Program (available on campus) and print out an analysis
of each day as well as the three day average. These reports contain important data for the body of
your report. I strongly recommend that you enter all your data and print your results on the same day.
Under “Choose the reports” step, you will want to print Profile DRI Goals, Macronutrient Ranges,
Intake vs. Goals, & Intake Spreadsheets. To print this for the three day average, specify start date and
end date for all three days. To print your INDIVIDUAL day reports, you will need to choose ONE day as
the start and end day. You DO NOT need to print source analysis, MyPyramid Analysis, Exchanges
Spreadsheet or Activities Spreadsheet.
The body of your report should contain the following:
1. Introduction: Write an introduction and briefly summarize your thoughts about your diet and
the DRI prior to doing this assignment and whether your analysis agrees or disagrees with your
statement. This can include a discussion of your current activity level, current food habits,
lifestyle and commitments that directly affect your ability to meet your nutritional goals (such as
school, family, work, etc…).
2. Data Analysis and Discussion (Using your data reports):
a. Compare your average total caloric intake to your DRI. This will be in the Intake vs. Goals
Report. Does your daily caloric intake meet your energy needs? Explain this in terms of
weight control and your current level of exercise/activity. Identify and discuss any
changes that need to be made in your current food intake or activity level.
b. Also from the Intake vs. Goals Report as well as the Macronutrient Ranges and Fat
Breakdown Reports, on average, are you consuming enough or too many calories from
fats, carbs, and protein according to the DRI? Explain how your food choices contributed
to these by examining your Intake Spreadsheets. Be specific.
c. Construct a table for your average daily vitamin and mineral deficiencies and/or excesses
using your Intake vs. Goals spreadsheet. Explain how you can modify your diet to correct
them (Choose only two of the lowest deficiencies and only two of the highest excesses).
Be specific in your explanation. Note: Deficiencies will include levels less than 70% and
excesses include levels greater than 130%. You may need to refer to the Minerals and
Vitamins chapters of your text for ideas on how to correct deficiencies and excesses.
BE SPECIFIC!!!
3. Conclusion: How has this analysis affected your future decisions concerning diet and exercise?
How could your current overall diet deficiencies or excesses (macronutrients, micronutrients and
calories) affect your long term health? Be specific about any changes you hope to make and any
health risks that might be associated with failing to make these changes.
4. Citations: Use APA format to cite all references you used for information. This should be (at
minimum) your textbook and the Diet Analysis+ Software.
Rolfes, S.R., Pinna, K., Whitney, E. (2008). Understanding normal and clinical nutrition. 8 th
edition. Belmont, CA: Thomas Wadsworth.
Diet Analysis + version 8.0 [computer software]. (2007). Thomas Wadsworth.
5. Final Requirement Check List
√ Check to make sure that you have answered ALL the above questions in the body of your
report.
√ Your report must be typed and double-spaced. Grammar, punctuation, clarity,
and spelling count.
√ Please turn in your report stapled with a cover page or in a pocket folder. You may place typed
report in one pocket, printouts in the other.
√ Printouts that MUST accompany your report include:
Profile DRI Goals
Intake vs. Goals (will read Intake and DRI Goals Compared on the printout) for 3 day
average and each individual day
Macronutrient Ranges (will read Energy Nutrient Intake and DRI Goal Ranges Compared
on the printout) for 3 day average
6. Addendum: Understanding Your Printed Reports
Profile DRI Goals Report: Based on the profile that you created, this report describes your personal DRI
recommendation.
Intake vs. Goals Report: Compares your actual dietary intake with the DRI goals. The DRI column shows
the recommended amount of each nutrient you should have consumed (based on your profile
information). The Intake column shows the amount that you actually consumed. If this report looks
“off”, you should check to see if your profile is accurate. For example, it says that you should be
consuming 3000 kcalories a day, and that seems unreasonably high to you, re-examine your profile. The
Diet Analysis program is only as accurate as the information you give it! DRI goals are based on the
information you provided in your profile. Commonly, students, who feel that the DRI are inaccurate, just
need to adjust their activity level up or down. When these reports are printed for each day as well as for
the three day average, you can look to see if some days were very high or very low in a nutrient which
would influence your three day average. This is helpful information for your report. You might be able
to say “my sodium intake wouldn’t have been so high if it weren’t for that Domino’s Pizza that I ate on
the second night”.
Macronutrients Ranges Report: Recall that calories come from three macronutrients-protein,
carbohydrates and fat. This report compares the recommended percentage ranges with your actual
dietary intake. You should ask yourself if you are consuming the right “mix” of these macronutrients.
Fat Breakdown Report: Shows percentage of total calories contributed by each type of fat. You should
ask yourself if you are consuming an acceptable amount of fat, and if the fat that you consume comes
from healthy (unsaturated) or unhealthy (saturated or trans) fat.
Intake Spreadsheet Report: shows all the foods eaten and the amount of each nutrient contained in
each food. This can help you pinpoint what foods strongly influenced you DRI. For example, if your
report shows that you were extremely high in Niacin, look here to figure out what foods may have
contributed to this result.