Red Yellow Green Nutritional Guide

History of RYG

The concept was originally developed for helping overweight teens, but it was adapted by the Children’s Institute in Pittsburgh and used by their in-patient rehabilitation program. Karen Balko, RD, then adapted this to provide more detail, to be culturally appropriate for our Canadian population as well as internationally, and designed 2 weeks of sample menus that could be easily followed with portions/recipes to allow families to kick start the program until they could get to a dietitian for more help.

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What is the RYG system?

The RYG system is a very concrete dietary approach which groups foods based on the colours of the traffic light. Red foods are “stop foods” as they  contain too many calories, sugar and fats and little nutrients. Yellow foods are moderate in calories, but required daily to meet nutritional needs – these include protein rich foods, quality grains, fresh fruit, fats, and dairy/dairy alternatives. The entire day is based on a dietitian designed, meal plan of “yellow” or caution foods. Calories are individually planned for each person depending on their needs and goals. Green or Go foods, are added in on a daily basis to add lots of bulk and fill space on the plate. Green foods are lower starch vegetables and can be eaten in large but controlled amounts.  

Individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome truly understand the concrete approach of this system, and feel calmer when they know what they can have on a daily basis.

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The Necessary Components of the RYG Approach

1. Consistency – meals at around same time daily – a meal plan designed ahead of time so individuals know exactly what to expect so there are no surprises or false expectations.

2. Environmental control – foods must be stored and not left in visual range of the individual. In many cases, there is a need to secure foods in the environment. Often securing the food is necessary however to reduce food anxiety and obsession.

3. Exercise – daily physical activity.

4. Balanced nutritional intake – we aim for approximately 20-25% protein, 45% carbs (healthy complex carbs) and 30% fat. Given the necessary lower intake of calories due to lower metabolic rate, we add in multivitamins with iron, calcium, vitamin D, omega 3 and other nutrients as necessary.  

5. Volumetrics – the key is lots of low calorie foods to take up space on the plate to help individuals have a better sense of satisfaction at meals.

6. Monitoring by a qualified dietitian and medical doctor trained in PWS – each nutrition plan can be modified to suit the needs of every child. It really makes a difference when your child can connect to health professionals that can influence their health in a positive fashion.