This week, our old friend the Food Guide Pyramid was re-released, with a sleeker, updated look that the USDA hopes Americans will be eating up for years to come.
Gone is the old food pyramid introduced in 1992, printed on food boxes and distributed as a nutrition teaching aid for schools. The new “Food Guidance System” is posted on MyPyramid.gov.
The new pyramid actually consists of 12 different triangles for the 12
different caloric consumption levels available on the system (from
1,000 calories per day to 3,200 per day.) The former system used a
blanket 2,000 calorie intake, far too high for many sedentary
Americans, and too low for the few Americans whose daily lifestyle
requires them to burn more calories, such as athletes. The new system
includes physical activity as an important factor of daily health.
As opposed to the old pyramid’s vague and difficult to measure
“servings,” more recognizable American serving measurements such as
ounces and cups are used to illustrate recommended food intake. For
example, the new pyramid recommends you eat “two cups fruit” and
“six ounces of grain” every day. A major criticism of the new
system is that it doesn’t explain exactly what foods Americans need to
eat less of. As a nation we have embraced eating-on-the-go, and little
thought goes into meal planning. The old pyramid stated YES and NO
food groups in gentler “eat several servings” or “avoid or consume
very little” language. Just glancing at the new pyramid gives you less
information on how to eat than the former — an interesting redesign
choice given that instant understanding is key to our American
infotainment learning style.
With the popularity of interactive online diet Web sites, the USDA attempt at making the pyramid more useful is admirable. My Pyramid Tracker gives the user an “in-depth assessment of your diet quality and physical activity status.” The site also offers a Tip of the Week; this week’s reads more like an infomercial line, “MyPyramid: Do it for you. Make one small change each day for a healthier you.” Let’s hope it gets more specific and less Oprah-like in its teachings.
Federal officials said they will ensure printed versions of the new guide are widely available at schools, government offices, and doctors’ offices. However, the truly Internet-based guide may leave low-income and elderly people without full access to the new system. According to the Boston Globe, government surveys showed more than 80 percent of Americans recognized the original pyramid, making it among the federal government’s most “successful” (emphasis added) public health efforts.
Apparently, recognition does not equal adherence as Americans have become markedly fatter since the 1992 pyramid was unveiled. Currently, about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese and more than 15 percent of kids age 6 to 19 are obese according to federal government standards.
“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,” said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns in a USDA press release. Yes, modest changes will garner modest improvement for many Americans, but eating way less and exercising much more is the only way to make many Americans truly healthy. More than simply “not obese,” but also not overweight.
Americans have the tools to be successful. Gyms, exercise equipment and good quality grains, fruits and vegetables are widely available. Most people acknowledge that McDonald’s and other fast food purveyors aren’t healthy. But if we had a drive-through salad and whole grain bread provider, would people use it? Similarly, will Americans embrace this new pyramid, with all its interactive bells and whistles and good intentions?
As I write this, I occasionally pause to nab another pinch of Special K with Red Berries out of a baggie next to my computer. Quick, easy and twice the recommended single serving. It’s 10 a.m. and I’ve already fallen off the wagon.

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