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Out With Old Food Pyramid, In With 12 New Ones
Makeover Emphasizes Household Measures Instead Of Servings
POSTED: 5:26 am PDT April 19,
2005
UPDATED: 8:45 am PDT April 19,
2005
WASHINGTON -- The government has tossed its one-size-fits-all food pyramid and replaced it with 12 food pyramids to guide people to healthy eating.The new guides are each geared to different lifestyles and nutritional needs. The pyramids are pretty much the same shape, but rainbow-colored bands representing different food groups now run vertically from tip to base. They used to run horizontally.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Tuesday unveiled MyPyramid, a new symbol and interactive food guidance system. MyPyramid replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced in 1992.The redesign includes an online element, where users can enter their age, gender and the amount of physical activity they get, and they receive a personalized guide on how to eat and exercise."MyPyramid is about the ability of Americans to personalize their approach when choosing a healthier lifestyle that balances nutrition and exercise," Johanns said in a news release. "Many Americans can dramatically improve their overall health by making modest improvements to their diets and by incorporating regular physical activity into their daily lives."The MyPyramid symbol, which is deliberately simple, is meant to encourage consumers to make healthier food choices and to be active every day, the Agriculture Department said. The six color bands represent the variety of five food groups of MyPyramid and oils. Moderation is represented by the narrowing of each food group from bottom to top. The different proportions of the bands represent how much of each food group Americans should eat.The image of the steps and a person climbing them represents a reminder of the importance of daily physical activity.The makeover includes using cups, ounces and other household measures to tell people how much to eat, rather than the current advice which uses number of servings.MyPyramid incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which was released in January. The guidelines include eating 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables a day. Other recommendations include choosing whole grains over flour used in white bread or bagels, and consuming more whole vegetables and fruit.The guidelines also encourage Americans to slash their calorie intake and exercise up to 90 minutes a day. Officials hope the changes will renew interest in healthy habits. People have steadily plumped up since the food pyramid came out in 1992. And a report in last month's New England Journal of Medicine found that obesity is reversing gains in life expectancy. A top department nutrition official said if the fattening trend doesn't change, "our children may be the first generation that cannot look forward to a longer life span than their parents."Still, experts said they don't expect the change to spark an immediate reversal of habits."We didn't get to be obese overnight. We're not going to reverse it overnight," said Eric Hentges, the Agriculture Department official who is overseeing the new pyramid. Additional Resources:
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More Info: MyPyramid.gov (Heavy traffic may cause site to load slowly) 
Overview: Government Dietary Guidelines
Menu Maker: Plan Healthy Meals
Survey: Follow The Food Guide Pyramid? Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Tuesday unveiled MyPyramid, a new symbol and interactive food guidance system. MyPyramid replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced in 1992.The redesign includes an online element, where users can enter their age, gender and the amount of physical activity they get, and they receive a personalized guide on how to eat and exercise."MyPyramid is about the ability of Americans to personalize their approach when choosing a healthier lifestyle that balances nutrition and exercise," Johanns said in a news release. "Many Americans can dramatically improve their overall health by making modest improvements to their diets and by incorporating regular physical activity into their daily lives."The MyPyramid symbol, which is deliberately simple, is meant to encourage consumers to make healthier food choices and to be active every day, the Agriculture Department said. The six color bands represent the variety of five food groups of MyPyramid and oils. Moderation is represented by the narrowing of each food group from bottom to top. The different proportions of the bands represent how much of each food group Americans should eat.The image of the steps and a person climbing them represents a reminder of the importance of daily physical activity.The makeover includes using cups, ounces and other household measures to tell people how much to eat, rather than the current advice which uses number of servings.MyPyramid incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which was released in January. The guidelines include eating 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables a day. Other recommendations include choosing whole grains over flour used in white bread or bagels, and consuming more whole vegetables and fruit.The guidelines also encourage Americans to slash their calorie intake and exercise up to 90 minutes a day. Officials hope the changes will renew interest in healthy habits. People have steadily plumped up since the food pyramid came out in 1992. And a report in last month's New England Journal of Medicine found that obesity is reversing gains in life expectancy. A top department nutrition official said if the fattening trend doesn't change, "our children may be the first generation that cannot look forward to a longer life span than their parents."Still, experts said they don't expect the change to spark an immediate reversal of habits."We didn't get to be obese overnight. We're not going to reverse it overnight," said Eric Hentges, the Agriculture Department official who is overseeing the new pyramid. Additional Resources:
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
- The Food Guide Pyramid
- Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Previous Stories:
- January 12, 2005: New Diet Guidelines Emphasize Healthy Food, Exercise
- July 13, 2004: Government Considers Replacing Food Guide Pyramid
- February 19, 2003: Classic Food Pyramid May Be Upside Down
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