الخطوط التوجيهية لنظم الأغذية القائمة على الأغذية

Food-based dietary guidelines - Latvia

Official name

Dietary guidelines for adults (Latvian: Veselīga uztura ieteikumi pieaugušajiem).

Additionally, Latvia has published guidelines for infants, children and adolescents, and the elderly.

Publication year

The Latvian dietary guidelines for children were published in 2003, the guidelines for the elderly in 2007 and those for adults a year later, in 2008.

Process and stakeholders

The Latvian dietary guidelines were developed by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with nutrition institutes, nutrition associations, universities and non-governmental organizations; dieticians and public health specialists were also involved.

The guidelines were endorsed by the Ministry of Health.

Intended audience

The different sets of dietary guidelines are aimed at: infants and children less than 2 years of age, children and adolescents 2–18 years old, healthy adults and people 60 years and older.

Food guide

The food pyramid has six levels: the first one corresponds to recommendations of water and physical activity. It is followed by cereals, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, other animal source products and nuts, and on the last level one can find oil, butter, sweets and confectionery.

Messages

  • Eat a variety of foods every day.
  • Do physical activity to keep your body weight within recommended limits.
  • Drink 1.5–2 litres of liquid, including water, every day.
  • Eat six servings (approx. 800 g) of cereals, cereal products (preferably wholegrain) and potatoes every day.
  • Eat five servings (approx. 400 g) of vegetables, fruits and berries every day. Try to choose local and fresh products.
  • Prefer low-fat versions of milk and dairy products.
  • Eat legumes, fish or lean meat. The recommended weekly amount of lean meat is 300–600 g. Eat fish at least twice a week.
  • Reduce your consumption of margarine, butter and fatty meats. Use little oil to prepare your meals.
  • Limit consumption of salt and sugar and products containing them.
  • Choose good quality products and prepare them in hygienically.

Food guide

The Latvian food pyramid. Reproduced with permission.
The Latvian food pyramid.