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Science & Research | Nutritional Recommendations
The DGE Nutrition Circle – Presentation and
Basis of the Food-Related Recommendations
from the German Nutrition Society (DGE)
1 1 2 2
Helmut Oberritter , Klaus Schäbethal , Bonn; Anne von Ruesten , Heiner Boeing ,Nuthetal
ment reference values for food in-
Summary take.
The three dimensional food pyramid and the DGE Nutrition Circle were establis- An ad hoc working group of the
hed by the German Nutrition Society and portray nutritional recommendations for German Nutrition Society (DGE) on
adults. The circle is based on D-A-CH reference values for nutrient intake and de- the theme of food-related prevention
picts quantitative aspects of nutrition, as supported by the available scientific evi- has studied the concept of food-re-
dence; the pyramid also includes qualitative aspects of nutritional physiology. The lated nutritional recommendations;
individual segments of the DGE nutrition circle are proportional to the quantities they have already published an arti-
of the individual nutrient groups that are required for adequate and well balanced cle in the Ernährungs Umschau [6]
nutrition. Compliance with the nutritional recommendations can contribute to and have provided support for the
the prevention of chronic diseases. It has been confirmed that these food-based present article. This will be followed
recommendations are practicable. by a further publication, with an as-
Keywords: Food-related nutritional recommendations, adequate nutrition, pre- sessment of the current status of
vention, reference values for nutritional intake, food groups food-related recommendations and
the requirements for future recom-
mendations. The present article will
discuss the status of the diagrams
Introduction On the other hand, a two dimen- which the DGE has developed in this
sional pyramid or triangle has often area, together with their scientific
There are essentially two different been preferred. This can portray a hi- foundation.
ways to portray nutritional recom- erarchy of food groups and is often
mendations for different sorts of used to advocate moderation in the The DGE diagrams to
food. A circle is often used to depict consumption of food at the tip of the portray food-related
the optimal contribution of each pyramid [3]. This approach was pi- recommendations
food group to the overall food intake oneered by the U. S. Department of
[1, 2]. Agriculture (USDA), which intro- In order to implement their recom-
duced the Food Guide Pyramid in mendations for adequate and well
1992 [4]. Since then, the food circle balanced nutrition – to support
has been used less frequently to de- health and prevent illness –, the DGE
Citation: pict recommended food intake, as the has established two graphic models.
Oberritter H, Schäbethal K, von pyramids had novelty value and
Ruesten A, Boeing H (2013) The evoked considerable interest from in-
DGE-Nutrition Circle – representa- stitutions, societies, food industry The DGE Nutrition Circle
tion and fundamentals of the and individuals. As a result, there The DGE Nutrition Circle (Figure 1)
food-based recommendations of were more than 100 different pyra- portrays the reference values for nu-
the German Nutrition Society. Er- mid models by 2004 [5]. trient intake for adults [7] and rep-
naehrungs Umschau international resents the food-related recommen-
60 (2): 24–29 Food-related nutritional recommen- dations for adequate and well bal-
The English version of this article dations are of increasing scientific in-
is available online: terest, as they indicate how nutrition 1
German Nutrition Society (DGE)
can support health or reduce the risk 2
DOI 10.4455/eu.2013.004 German Institute for Nutritional Research
of specific diseases and can comple- (DIfE)
24 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 2/2013
anced nutrition [8, 9]. The basic
form of the DGE Nutrition Circle ., Bonn
was first introduced in 1955 [10]
and has been continuously devel-
oped. The current version was pre-
sented in 2005 and was calculated
on the basis of Version II.3 of the
German Nutrient Data Base (BLS).
The most important conclusions
portrayed in the DGE nutrition cycle
are that food should be selected daily ® Copyright: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V
from all 7 food groups, that the rel-
ative quantities should be as pre-
sented and that a variety of foods
should be selected in each group.
The special feature of the current
DGE Nutrition Circle is that it is seg-
mented on the basis of the calcu-
lated quantities of food. The seg-
ments represent the relative quanti-
ties of the different food groups
which are required for an adequate
and well balanced diet. Figure 1: DGE Nutrition Circle
The nutrition cycle implements the
D-A-CH reference values for nutri- were prepared for one week, which values without using enriched foods
ent intake [7] at the level of food. It were planned to provide mean food or food supplements, as long as
is also in accordance with the results intake for 7 days which fulfilled the there is adequate exposure to the
of evidence-based guidelines and sys- reference values. With this proce- sun, in order to ensure endogenous
tematic reviews by the DGE and dure, the energy intake ranged be- vitamin D synthesis. To ensure io-
other professional societies. The nu- tween 1600 kilocalories or 6.9 MJ dine intake, it was assumed that 2 g
trition circle implements the recom- (women, over 65 years, 55 kg body iodinated cooking salt per day was
mendations for high consumption of weight) and 2400 kilocalories or consumed. The fact was ignored that
vegetables, fruit [11–13] and cereal 10.2 MJ (men, 25 to 51 years, 74 kg pregnant women require folic acid
(particularly cereal dietary fibre) body weight). In addition to the ref- supplementation [7].
[13–15], the guarantee of adequate erence values, the conversion to
fish consumption [11, 16–18] and foods was based on the “10 DGE In the sample menus, the proportion
the reduction in the consumption of Rules” and the recommendations of fat was from 28 to 31 energy %,
meat (particularly red meat) and from the “5 a day” campaign (5 por- of protein from 16 to 17 energy %
sausages [11, 13–15]. It is also tions of vegetables and fruit per day, and of carbohydrate from 52 to 53
thought to be important to reduce 400 g vegetables, including raw veg- energy %.
consumption of fats, particularly of etables; 250 g fruit) [20].
saturated fatty acids [13, 17–19]. Food Groups
The meals were based on conven-
Based on weekly menus tional foods, assuming practicable In the next step, the foods used were
methods of preparation. Foods subsumed into 6 groups and evalu-
Comprehensive calculations [9] were which were less nutritionally desir- ated by weight. The size of each seg-
performed for 4 groups of persons – able – foods with low nutrient den- ment in the nutrition cycle was cal-
separately for men and women and sity and/or high energy density, culated from the percentage share of
separately for the two age groups of such as sweet or fatty snacks, alco- the total weight of food in the daily
25 to 51 years old and at least 65 holic drinks and lemonades contain- plan. The total weight of the drinks
years old. PAL was assumed to be ing sugar – were excluded. It is in was almost as great as that of the
1.4. On this basis, sample menus fact possible to fulfil the reference other foods. To represent this and to
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 2/2013 25
Science & Research | Nutritional Recommendations
show their physiological impor- weights of each of the foods. The Use of the DGE Nutrition Circle
tance, drinks were placed in the cen- lower values apply to a low energy in nutritional advice
tre of the circle. It was accepted that intake and the higher values to high Aside from the three dimensional
the area for the drinks was then energy intake. The division of the pyramid, the DGE Nutrition Circle is
smaller than it should have been ac- foods into segments shows that the the diagram most often used by
cording to the calculation. nutrition circle offers a basic orien- opinion leaders in Germany in nu-
tation for the selection of foods, tritional advice, in order to visualise
The DGE Nutrition Circle is a por- rather than strict rules for specific nutritional recommendations [21].
trayal in which the size of the seg- meals, methods of preparation or In work with adults, these opinion
products. The food should be lightly
ments ( Figure 2) is in fact a meas-
ure of the quantity of each food. It boiled with low fat. It is recom-
also makes a qualitative statement, mended that some of the vegetables
as only nutritionally desirable foods should be eaten raw.
are shown. It is made clear that ade- In the EPIC Potsdam study, the as-
quate and well balanced nutrition Food selection in accordance with the sociation between adherence to
must be based on plant foods, such DGE Nutrition Circle provides a reli- the food-related recommenda-
as cereal products, preferably whole able foundation for adequate and tions of the DGE Nutrition Circle
grain, as well as vegetables and fruit. well balanced nutrition, based on the and the risk of cardiovascular dis-
This foundation is best comple- implementation of the reference val- eases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and
mented by low fat milk, low fat ues. It is intended for healthy adults cancer, was examined for 23531
meat, fish and plant oils. Adequate and ensures that the intake of nutri- volunteers. A Healthy Eating Index
concomitant fluid intake is also nec- ents and dietary fibre is in accor- (HEI-DGE) was calculated, which
essary. dance with the reference values. assessed the ratio between the ac-
Moreover, it prevents the intake of tual and the recommended con-
As an orientation, Table 1 lists excessive levels of individual nutri- sumption of individual food
suggested weights for foods in the ents or undesired food components groups [6].
different groups. The figures are for (such as fat or cholesterol), as well A higher score then indicates bet-
a single day, with the exception of as allowing a high intake of second- ter implementation of the recom-
group 5, for which the total weight ary plant components. In this way, mendations. For men – but not for
for 1 week is given. The nutrition it helps to prevent health disorders women –, the HEI-DGE exhibited
circle does not separate the individ- which are at least partially related to a statistically significant inverse
ual days. A range is given for the nutrition [7]. correlation with the risk of cardio-
vascular diseases, type 2 diabetes
mellitus and overall chronic dis-
fats, oils eases. No association was found
meat, sausages 2% for cancer. It therefore appears
fish, eggs that good adherence to the rec-
7% ommendations of the DGE nutri-
milk, cereals tion circle reduces the risk of
milk products 18% 30% cereal products chronic diseases. One possibility
potatoes for the lack of statistical signifi-
cance with women is that women
– particularly obese women – have
a greater tendency than men to
misrepresent what they consume.
17% vegetables, salad On the other hand, it is conceiv-
fruit 26% able that there are gender-specific
differences in the constellation of
the risk factors for some diseases
(e. g. cardiovascular diseases)
which could reduce nutritional ef-
Figure 2: The proportion of the individual segments in the overall weight of food – fects in women.
excluding drinks, expressed as weight percent
26 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 2/2013
leaders most often use the Nutrition
Circle. Food Approximate Values for Adults
The DGE Nutrition Circle is the trend Group 1: daily
setter and symbol for adequate and cereals, cereal – 4−6 slices (200−300 g) of bread or
well balanced nutrition. Neverthe- products, potatoes 3−5 slices (150−250 g) of bread and 50−60 g cereal flakes and
less, it allows adequate scope for – 1 portion (200−250 g) potatoes (boiled) or
menu planning. The circle is not a 1 portion (200−250 g) noodles (boiled) or
map of eating habits, but shows 1 portion (150−180 g) rice (boiled)
how to achieve the optimal form. Full grain products preferred
The nutrition circle is an established Group 2: daily
method of illustrating nutritional vegetables and salad – at least 3 portions (400 g) vegetables
recommendations and is undergoing 300 g lightly boiled vegetables and 100 g raw vegetables/salad or
a renaissance in the USA too. In June 200 g lightly boiled vegetables and 200 g raw vegetables/salad
2011, the previous pyramid model Group 3: daily
was replaced by My Plate [22]. One fruit – at least 2 portions (250 g) fruit
plate contains four differently Group 4: daily
coloured fields, as a roughly simpli- – milk and milk products
fied portrayal of individual food – 200−250 g low fat milk and milk products and
groups or food suppliers – fruits, ce- – 2 slices (50−60 g) low fat cheese
reals, vegetables and proteins. The il- Group 5: weekly
lustration is completed with milk meat, sausages, fish – 300−600 g low fat meat (prepared) and low fat salami and
products in the form of a symbolic and eggs – 1 portion (80−150 g) low fat sea fish (prepared) and
drinking vessel. Thus, the shape of
the pyramid had been changed to a – 1 portion (70 g) fatty sea fish (prepared) and
circle – a return to the nutrition cir- – up to 3 eggs (including processed eggs)
cle, which had been established in the Group 6: daily
USA in 1940 [23]. oils and fats – 10−15 g oil (e.g. rape, walnut or soya oil) and
– 15−30 g margarine or butter
Nutrition circle and three Group 7: daily
dimensional food pyramid drinks – about 1.5 L
energy-free or low energy drinks preferred
The DGE Nutrition Circle is the base
of the three dimensional food pyra- Table 1: Quantities of food in the DGE Nutrition Circle
mid and is therefore a core element
of the food-related recommendations
here too. During several workshops
and consultations with the aid info- mid – plant foods, animal foods, oils corresponding faces of the pyramid.
dienst and the Federal Ministry of and fats, and drinks –, primarily on Less nutritionally desirable foods in-
Food Agriculture and Consumer Pro- the basis of energy density and nu- clude energy drinks, lemonades,
tection (BMELV), the three dimen- trient content, as well as other nu- sweets, munchies, lard, butter, eggs
sional food pyramid was developed tritional physiological criteria and or fatty meat products. These are
by the DGE as a complement to the epidemiological knowledge. Because placed at the top of the correspon-
DGE Nutrition Circle. It was intended of their different characteristics, spe- ding face of the pyramid. This makes
to be a new graphic model for the cific criteria are needed for each face it clear that only small quantities of
implementation of nutrition recom- of the pyramid [25]. these foods should be used within
mendations [24]. This three dimen- this group.
sional food pyramid has the novel The three dimensional food pyramid
feature of combining quantitative does not only include desirable foods, Use of the 3D pyramid in
statements (nutrition circle) with but also products of daily consump- nutritional advice
qualitative statements in a single tion. For example, nutritionally de-
model. sirable foods include vegetables, To check the acceptability of the
fruit, fish, low fat milk and milk three dimensional food pyramid,
A qualitative food hierarchy is devel- products, low fat meat, rape oil and both the concept and design of the
oped on the four faces of the pyra- water. These foods are low in the pyramid were presented to various
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 2/2013 27
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