Food-based dietary guidelines - Paraguay
Official name
Dietary guidelines of Paraguay (Guías Alimentarias del Paraguay)
Dietary guidelines for children 2 years and younger (Guías Alimentarias del Paraguay para niñas y niños menores de 2 años)
Publication year
Paraguay formed the National Technical Committee for the development of FBDGs in 1999 through a governmental decree. In 2003, the first set of FBDGs for the general public (people 2 years and older) were launched. A revision of the guidelines started in 2013 and released in 2015.
Process and stakeholders
The revision process of the guidelines was led by the National Dietary Guidelines Technical Committee, under the coordination and supervision of the National Institute for Food and Nutrition and the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare. FAO and the Panamerican Health Organization provided technical assistance.
Intended audience
Paraguay has two sets of guidelines, one for the general public (2 years and older) and another one for children 2 years and younger.
Food guide
The food guide is represented by a pot divided into seven parts. The size of each segment reflects the proportion that the food group should contribute to total daily diet. In addition, a colour code is used to indicate which foods should be eaten in higher or lesser quantities. The green colour represents foods that should be eaten in higher quantities and includes grains, tubers, fruits and vegetables. The yellow colour represents foods that should be eaten in moderation, such as milk and dairy products, meat, legumes and eggs. The red colour represents foods that should be eaten only in small quantities such as added sugar, honey, oils and fats.
Two additional recommendations are given outside of the pot: drink water and do physical activity.
Recommendations
- To have a healthy diet, eat from all 7 food groups (cereals, tubers and derived products; fruits; vegetables; milk and dairy products; meats, legumes and eggs; sugars and honey; fats and oils) every day.
- To be healthy, eat raw and cooked vegetables at lunch and dinner every day.
- Eat three seasonal fruits daily because they have vitamins and fiber.
- Eat cereals and legumes 2 times a week because together they are more nutritious.
- Increase your daily intake of dairy products to 2 cups of milk or yogurt and 1 slice of cheese to maintain strong bones and teeth.
- It is healthy to eat different types of lean meats, no more than 4 times a week.
- To protect your heart decrease your consumption of fats and fried foods.
- Use small quantities of iodized salt when preparing your meals to prevent high blood pressure.
- Eat less candy, sodas and other sugar sweetened beverages to take care of your health.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages because they are harmful to your health and can cause accidents.
- For the proper functioning of your body, drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
- For your overall wellbeing, achieve 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day.