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1c. Nutrient Analysis Summary

At the bottom of the FoodFocus main screen, you will find a summary of nutrient analysis results for all the foods listed in the food list in the middle of the main screen.

Objectives

After this lesson, you will be able to understand the information conveyed in the lower portion of the main screen (See c in figure at the left.) including:

• The basis for the fibre summary information
• The significance of the portion of energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein
• The types of data represented by pictographs

Lesson

This lesson and lessons 2-4 illustrate the basic layout of the FoodFocus main screen. These lessons are intended to not only illustrate typical FoodFocus displays but also to provide an overview of how FoodFocus can be used.

The nutrient analysis summary area at the bottom of the FoodFocus main screen contains the following information:

• Fibre Summary

Example: FIBRE (% of target)= 101%

• Guideline- In the absence of a Health Canada guideline on the recommened amount of fibre, FoodFocus uses the American Heart Association guideline of 15 grams of fibre per 1000 calories of food eaten.
• % of Target- The amount of fibre in the foods you selected (in the food list in the middle of the page) is compared to the recommended guideline and expressed as a percentage. You should try and select foods that provide at least 100% of your fibre target.
• Source of Calories

Example: CALORIES FROM CARBOHYDRATES 61%, FAT 17%, PROTEIN 22%

• Guidelines- Health Canada recommends that most people should get at least 55% of calories from carbohydrate and no more than 30% of calories from fat. (The recommendations for children are a little different to minimize the risk of nutrient deficiencies.)



Report Card Marks Alternative for Fibre Summary and Source of Calories

As described in lesson 14 you can display a simpler version of the nutrient analysis summary which does not require an understanding of the significance of the numeric values of sources of calories. This approach is called "Report Card Marks" and it only requires an understanding that a mark of 50 is poor and 100 is good.

Example: REPORT CARD (marks of 50 = poor, 100 = good)

FIBRE = 59 CARBOHYDRATES = 55 FAT = 50

• Rainbow Pictograph
• Guidelines- The rainbow is based on the Health Canada Food Guide recommendations about eating a variety of foods from different food groups.The four coloured bands show the approximate fraction of the recommended amount of foods in each of the four basic food groups in foods that have been selected. Details in lesson 2.
• Happy Face Pictograph
• Guidelines- The happy face is based on the Health Canada Recommended Nutrient Intakes for most nutrients and on guidelines for sodium and fibre. A green happy face indicates that, considering the energy in the foods selected, the selected foods meets recommendations (or guidelines). Food selections that do not do so result in a discoloured and misshapen face. Details in lesson 2.
• Heart Pictograph
• Guidelines- The heart reflects the degree to which nutrients of particular importance for heart health (total fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol) meet recommendations. Details in lesson 2.
• Baby Carriage Pictograph
• Guidelines- For a pregnant user, the heart is replaced by a baby carriage which reflects the degree to which nutrients of particular importance for baby health (energy, protein, calcium, iron and folate) meet recommendations. Details in lesson 2.

Review Topics

1. For what two nutrients are guidelines other than Health Canada recommendations used? Why?
2. What are the recommended percentages of calories from carbohydrates and fat?
3. What pictograph indicates the recommendations of the Health Canada Food Guide for servings from the four basic food groups?
4. Are the nutrients reflected in the heart pictograph also among the nutrients in Health Canada Recommended Nutrient Intakes?
5. Under what conditions is the baby carriage pictograph displayed instead of the heart pictograph?
6. Only one of the happy face, heart and baby carriage pictographs change with the total amount of food energy? Which one is that? Why is that important?

Independent Practice

Think of examples in which having instantaneous feedback of nutrient content is particularily useful.

Coming Next....

How pictographs are used to simply convey nutrient analysis results.

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