HLTH 640
PERSONAL DIET ANALYSIS: CARBOHYDRATES TEMPLATE
Nutrient
Actual
amount
Consume
d
Recommende
d
Consumption
What are the health
implications of
excess or insufficient
intake?
What specific
suggestions can be
made to improve
an excess and/or
insufficient intake?
Carbohydrates 275g 365g-527g
Excess carbs are stored as
glycogen, once glycogen
stores are full, excess glucose
is stored as glycerol fat cells
which can lead to excess
weight gain.
Insufficient carb intake leads
to low blood glucose levels
and using liver glycogen
stores, once liver stores are
depleted, the body will break
down fat for energy. this
results in ketone bodies
spilling into the blood
increasing ph leading to
nervous system, liver, and
kidney problems
Increase consumption of
whole fruits and vegetables
for good sources of simple
and complex carbs
Sugar 2.22g 0g-81g
Excess added sugar can lead
to tooth decay and obesity
which can lead to diabetes
Decrease consumption of
processed foods with added
sugars especially sugar
sweetened drinks
Dietary Fiber 17.8g 45.4g
A diet with excess fiber can
lower blood cholesterol,
reduce the risk of diabetes,
and can help prevent obesity.
Insufficient dietary fiber
intake can lead to
constipation and
diverticulosis which can
require surgery
Add nuts and fruits/dried
fruits to snacks to increase
fiber intake
Question Responses:
1. I feel that I consume a fairly healthy diet and I try to keep it consistent. One of the major
positive contributions to my diet and health is my lack of consumption of added sugars. These
added sugars found in many processed foods and especially soft drinks, Blake et al writes, “The
number-one source of added sugars in the United States is sweetened soft drinks, energy drinks,
HLTH 640
and sports drinks.”1(p136) I do my best to stay away from added sugars which has a positive impact
on my heath keeping my teeth healthy and reducing my risk of becoming overweight or obese.
Another positive in my diet is my protein intake. I have been into fitness and weightlifting for
multiple years at this point and I know the importance of consuming enough protein to repair and
grow muscle tissue. One negative about my diet is my lack of fiber intake, only 39% of the
recommended amount and I was unaware up to this point that my intake of fiber was so low.
Brussow and Parkinson state, “Epidemiological studies show an inverse relationship between
dietary plant fiber and the risk of heart disease, obesity and type-2 diabetes,”(2) while I currently
am not experiencing any of the negative effects of not consuming adequate fiber, I do not want to
have any sort of increased risk of health impairment, therefore I will consider adding more fiber
into my diet to get closer to the recommended amount.
2. The likelihood of making the suggested changes to my diet I think is high and relatively
simple. One of the areas I am currently lacking is my vegetable intake which I can easily add to
my diet and move me closer to both my carbohydrate goal and dietary fiber goal. Adding nuts
and dried fruits to my snacks is another easy change I can make to keep me fuller throughout the
day and get me closer to my dietary fiber goal. Lastly continuing to stay away from added sugars
shouldn’t be a problem as I have already developed good habits of trying to consume whole
foods and staying away from most processed foods and sugary drinks.
