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Diet Analysis Project
Part B—Analysis Paper
80-points
Instructions
It’s time to analyze your dietary intake! Use the reports from Part A and any observations you
made while tracking your food and beverage consumption to analyze what, when, why, and
how you eat. Submit an analysis paper (2-5 pages, double-spaced, 12-pt font) addressing all the
questions in this worksheet by the due date and time listed on WyoCourses.
Section 1: WHAT do you eat?
❑ How did you track your dietary intake?
▪ Did you weigh and/or measure your foods, or just did your best to estimate portion
sizes? Did you track in real-time as you went through your day, or did you try to recall
what you ate after-the-fact? What are the likely errors or discrepancies to consider
when evaluating your data?
❑ Address the following questions about your energy intake and macronutrient intake:
▪ What was your energy (calorie) intake relative to your EER?
▪ What was your macronutrient distribution (i.e., percentage of calories coming from
proteins, fats, and carbohydrates?)
❑ Analyze your CARBOHYDRATE intake.
▪ What was your total carbohydrate intake relative to the RDA and AMDR for
carbohydrates?
▪ How many cups of grains did you consume daily? How does this compare to MyPlate
recommendations? What percentage of your grain selections over the 3 days were
whole grains?
▪ How many cups of fruits did you consume daily on average? How does this compare
to MyPlate recommendations?
▪ How many cups of vegetables did you consume daily on average? How does this
compare to MyPlate recommendations?
▪ Approximately, how many grams of ADDED sugar did you consume each day? How
does this compare to AHA recommendations for ADDED sugar limits and what foods
contributed the most added sugar over the 3 days of tracking?
▪ How did your fiber intake compare with recommendations? What foods contributed
the most to your fiber intake?
❑ Analyze your PROTEIN Intake.
▪ What was your total protein intake compared to the AMDR for protein?
▪ How many grams of protein per kg body weight did you consume? How does this
compare with the RDA for protein?
▪ Is most of your protein from animal sources or plant sources?
▪ Name 3 complete protein choices from your dietary log.
▪ Name 3 incomplete protein choices from your dietary log.
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❑ Analyze your FAT Intake.
▪ What was your total fat intake compared to the AMDR for fat?
▪ Discuss the balance of fats in your diet, (i.e., saturated fat levels vs. monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fat levels) and mention the major sources of each type of fat in
your diet.
▪ What was your omega 6: omega 3 ratio? (Use the omega-6 and omega-3 values from
the Bar Graph Report to calculate this). What were your primary sources of linoleic
acid and alpha-linolenic acid? Also mention if you consume EPA and DHA directly
from food sources.
❑ Analyze your MICRONUTRIENT intake.
▪ List the micronutrients you are consuming in amounts close to or ABOVE (over 100%)
your DRI. Explain what foods are contributing to the adequate/abundant levels of
these nutrients.
▪ List the micronutrients you are consuming in amounts well BELOW (<100%) your DRI.
▪ Explain the low levels by highlighting foods that are lacking or missing in your diet
and identify common empty-calorie foods in your diet that aren’t significantly
contributing to your micronutrient intake.
❑ Hydration analysis.
▪ How much plain water did you drink in comparison to recommended amounts?
▪ What other beverages did you drink which could contribute to your total water
intake? Do you drink more plain water than anything else? If not, what is the primary
fluid contributor in your diet?
▪ What foods in your diet are likely contributing a significant amount of water to your
total intake?
▪ Do you think your hydration habits are healthy and adequate? Do you exhibit any
signs of dehydration on a regular basis?
❑ Other observations.
▪ Is there anything else you noticed about WHAT you eat that you find interesting and
of significance to you?
Section 2: WHEN do you eat?
❑ While tracking, did you notice any consistent pattern of eating frequency?
o If so, what is your pattern? (For example, 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, or 1 large meal a
day.) What time of day do you start to eat? What time do you stop eating typically?
o If not, why do you think that you do not eat in a consistent pattern in terms of timing
and frequency?
Section 3: WHY and HOW do you eat?
❑ We've discussed many different factors influencing our eating decisions and shaping our dietary
patterns (see Figure 1-6 in your book). While tracking your food and drink consumption, which
factors seemed to influence your dietary decisions most frequently? For example, do you eatFCSC-1141
❑ Analyze your FAT Intake.
▪ What was your total fat intake compared to the AMDR for fat?
▪ Discuss the balance of fats in your diet, (i.e., saturated fat levels vs. monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fat levels) and mention the major sources of each type of fat in
your diet.
▪ What was your omega 6: omega 3 ratio? (Use the omega-6 and omega-3 values from
the Bar Graph Report to calculate this). What were your primary sources of linoleic
acid and alpha-linolenic acid? Also mention if you consume EPA and DHA directly
from food sources.
❑ Analyze your MICRONUTRIENT intake.
▪ List the micronutrients you are consuming in amounts close to or ABOVE (over 100%)
your DRI. Explain what foods are contributing to the adequate/abundant levels of
these nutrients.
▪ List the micronutrients you are consuming in amounts well BELOW (<100%) your DRI.
▪ Explain the low levels by highlighting foods that are lacking or missing in your diet
and identify common empty-calorie foods in your diet that aren’t significantly
contributing to your micronutrient intake.
❑ Hydration analysis.
▪ How much plain water did you drink in comparison to recommended amounts?
▪ What other beverages did you drink which could contribute to your total water
intake? Do you drink more plain water than anything else? If not, what is the primary
fluid contributor in your diet?
▪ What foods in your diet are likely contributing a significant amount of water to your
total intake?
▪ Do you think your hydration habits are healthy and adequate? Do you exhibit any
signs of dehydration on a regular basis?
❑ Other observations.
▪ Is there anything else you noticed about WHAT you eat that you find interesting and
of significance to you?
Section 2: WHEN do you eat?
❑ While tracking, did you notice any consistent pattern of eating frequency?
o If so, what is your pattern? (For example, 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, or 1 large meal a
day.) What time of day do you start to eat? What time do you stop eating typically?
o If not, why do you think that you do not eat in a consistent pattern in terms of timing
and frequency?
Section 3: WHY and HOW do you eat?
❑ We've discussed many different factors influencing our eating decisions and shaping our dietary
patterns (see Figure 1-6 in your book). While tracking your food and drink consumption, which
factors seemed to influence your dietary decisions most frequently? For example, do you eat
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because you are bored? Do you choose to eat a specific food because it is just what you always
ate as part of your culture growing up? Really dissect what drives your decisions related to
eating. Be sure to cite at least 2 specific examples from your tracking data which exemplify how
specific factors influence your food choices and/or eating behavior.
❑ Reflect about HOW you eat. For example, do you generally focus on what you are eating when
you are eating, or do you eat while doing something else? Do you eat fast or slow generally?
Alone or with other people? Does being around other people influence the way you eat? Are
there specific reasons why you eat the way you do?
Section 4: Evaluate and make connections.
❑ Now that you have analyzed what, why, and how you eat, it’s time to evaluate how your diet is
influencing your health. First, describe in 1-2 paragraphs at least 3 specific aspects of your
current eating pattern and nutrient intake that are contributing to good health and explain your
reasoning.
❑ Next, describe in 1-2 paragraphs at least 3 specific aspects of your eating pattern and nutrient
intake that could potentially generate negative health-related consequences over time, and/or
that aren’t necessarily contributing to optimal health and wellness. Be sure to explain your
reasoning.