This morning the U.S. Department of Agriculture released
the new “MyPyramid” Food Guidance System graphic
symbol to help consumers implement the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans into their daily eating plans. You can find
all the details at http://mypyramid.gov.
As the American Dietetic Association recommended last year,
the USDA has retained the iconic and widely known shape of
the Food Guide Pyramid as the government's primary graphical
symbol of variety, proportion and moderation in making good
nutritional choices. And ADA recommended that the educational
messages within and accompanying the Pyramid should be updated
to improve consumer understanding, which has also been done.
Will the new graphic symbol be successful in conveying to
consumers the vital nutritional messages of balance, variety,
moderation and adequacy that are found in the Dietary Guidelines'
recommendations? Only time will tell for certain, and if
MyPyramid can accomplish that objective it will be a great
success.
As ADA told the USDA last year, no one graphic symbol can
or should serve as a stand-alone consumer nutrition education
tool. Many surveys, including ADA's own 1997 nutrition trends
survey, found most people recognize the Food Guide Pyramid.
The problem is that few people really understood the Pyramid
and even fewer followed it. What is needed is what the USDA
announced today: a Food Guidance System that includes a graphic
symbol plus consumer messages and motivational and educational
tools that work together to guide people toward healthy food
choices.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasize greater consumption
of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains – foods
that are naturally high in nutrients and low in calories.
That is consistent with ADA's positions and consumer messages
that emphasize the individual's total diet, or overall pattern
of food consumed. ADA and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
agree that the keys are:
* Take a personalized approach to dietary advice and weight
management, recognizing that one size does not fit all.
* Eat a variety of foods from every group in balance and
in moderation.
* Pay attention to calorie consumption.
* Achieve a balance between food and regular physical activity.
As you know, the American Dietetic Association was deeply
involved with the development of the Dietary Guidelines,
and we will be just as involved in using them to set the
nation's policy directions in nutrition programs, research,
education, food assistance, labeling and promotion. On an
individual level, I know all ADA members join me in looking
forward to applying MyPyramid and its accompanying materials
into our client counseling, patient care and consumer education.
In summary, the food and nutrition experts of the American
Dietetic Association are committed to helping people understand
and apply the recommendations of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans in their daily lives.
