NCI Cereal Innovators Webinar Series | Kim Kirchnerr
Kim Kirchherr, Dietician & President of K2 Outcomes, LLC.
Each month, NCI updates the “Cereal Innovators” series that offers insight into the world of baking and cereal grains. This month’s webinar participants learned about “Clarity for Communication and Connections.” Last week’s presentation featured Kim Kirchnerr, an award-winning registered dietitian and President of K2 Outcomes LLC.
Kirchnerr began by introducing the idea of food, health, and wellbeing as a professional conversation topic. She stated that main goal of communication with respect to these topics includes streamlining communication through word choice and context, which are important to adjust as needed when speaking to differing audiences.
Guidelines for a healthy dietary pattern.
She continued by discussing official dietary guidelines in the United States. Kirchnerr was quick to point out that these guidelines are not prescriptive, meaning that there isn’t a single way for most people to eat correctly or to eat from all the food groups. In addition, the topic of dietary patterns was also discussed. These refer to the types of foods people habitually consume, and are a solid representation of the overall health status and disease risk of the individual. Kirchnerr also added that a healthy dietary pattern includes the aforementioned nutrient-dense foods in their recommended amounts while also spanning all food groups.
Average Americans’ intake of different nutrients compared to their recommended amounts.
Kirchnerr transitioned to discussing an analysis conducted of the types of food the average American eats, and compared the amount of each type of food eaten to what the recommended amounts are under the guidelines of a healthy dietary pattern. Overall, most individuals were observed intaking fewer amounts of each category than recommended, making their diets significantly less healthy. Additionally, Kirchnerr focused more specifically on whole grains, which she said should encompass at least half of all grains consumed for a healthy dietary pattern. And, that some ways to shift towards this goal include reducing the intake of cakes, cookies, etc. along with switching from refined grains food to whole grains food.
From there, Kirchnerr switched to covering the nutrients of concern to dieticians, which includes calcium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin D. These are of public health concern due to the adverse health affects people can suffer from as a result of not receiving enough of these nutrients. It’s also important to mention that, in the case of vitamin D, it’s more difficult to achieve the required intake of this nutrient through diet alone, making vitamin D supplements a possible additive to a person’s diet.
Percentage of American’s that fall into each of these categories.
She also stressed the importance of limiting one’s intake of several unhealthy food/beverage additives. This is currently something of a concern with the general public, as many Americans exceed the recommended amounts of these additives regularly. Though, it’s important to note that a small amount of these are actually able to help foods/beverages meet food group recommendations, but only in small quantities. Again, Kirchnerr made it clear that foods/beverages high in these additives should be avoided, according to these food group recommendations.
Kirchnerr also provided information on the “85-15” guide, a rule that says 85% of calories are needed per day to meet food group recommendations through nutrient-dense foods. The remaining 15% is said to be available for other sources, including added sugars, saturated fat, etc.
She continued by suggesting tips for more nutrient-dense foods through slight adjustments to one’s dietary pattern. Using the example of a burrito bowl, she outlined alternatives to certain ingredients that, if incorporated into the bowl, would make it more nutrient-dense. Kirchnerr also shared tips with how to support healthy eating in children, adults, and older adults. Each group requires slightly different tips, necessitating adjustments to how that support is provided to each group.
Actions consumers can take to begin creating a healthier dietary pattern.
Kirchnerr concluded by discussing MyPlate, a visual interpretation of healthy dietary guidelines. Using several key consumer messaging, it aims to educate people on ways they can improve their dietary patterns in the interest of improving their health. She also shared some action steps that those looking to improve their dietary patterns can take in order to begin down that path.
The Northern Crops Institute greatly appreciates Kim Kirchnerr’s professional input and involvement in our webinar series. At NCI, we continue to fulfill our mission to support regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern grown crops.
For more information about future webinars offered at NCI, click here.
To view last week’s webinar, click the recording below!