The Shanghai Nutrition Society has published a new set of nutrition guidelines as people are eating too much fat and salt, and not enough fruits, vegetables and grain.

The society also said yesterday it will set up a health direction center and organize nutritional lectures by dietitians for the public starting next year.

The society is calling on food manufacturers and eateries to help promote healthy diets among city residents.

The city last issued nutritional guidelines in 1995, but many people are eating more rich food in the last few years due to the city's rapid economic development.

"Local people have both overnutrition and malnutrition," said Dr Zhao Faji from Shanghai Second Military Medical University and honorary director of the Shanghai Nutrition Society.

"People lack enough vitamin A, vitamin B2 and calcium in their diets because they don't eat enough fruits, vegetables and milk. However, people are eating too much fat, oil and salt."

The old guidelines said people need to eat a proper amount of four types of food: grain, vegetables, milk, and meat.

The new guidelines redefine the food groups as: grains, fruits and vegetable, milk and soy beans, and meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.

Health experts say people's daily diet should include 400 to 500 grams of grain, 300 to 400 grams of fruits and vegetables, 200 to 300 grams of milk and soy beans, and 100 to 200 grams of meat and eggs.

The guidelines say people should only eat six to 10 grams of salt a day, less than 25 grams of oil and about 20 grams of sugar.

"Research found that local residents only consume about 100 grams of milk every day," Zhao said.

"People are eating less and less grain, which is an essential source of energy and nutrition."

While the World Health Organization says calories from fat should account for less than 30 percent of a person's total calorie intake, health experts say local residents get about 35 percent of their energy from fat, on average.

About 19 percent of local adults are overweighted and 6 percent are obese, while 11 percent of children are obese, according to the nutrition society.

(Shanghai Daily December 22, 2005)