The New Food Pyramid
However, the government realized that not only did this one-size-fits-all model introduced in 1992 not take into account people's different lifestyles, levels of activity and nutritional needs, but most Americans weren't following it anyway.
In fact, the average American's waistline has only been getting wider since the introduction of the old food pyramid in 1992. A report published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March 2005, stated that obesity — especially in children — is shaving four to nine months off the average life expectancy. If this trend continues, children today may be the first generation ever to live shorter lives than their parents .
Therefore, the recent re-vamping of the food pyramid represents an attempt to renew the public's interest in healthy eating and lifestyle habits in order to improve the nation's overall health and reverse this scary trend.
pyramids for everyoneThe new pyramid, dubbed "MyPyramid" and found at www.mypyramid.gov, actually comprises 12 different pyramids representing different nutritional needs according to age, gender, level of physical activity, and so on. The pyramids range from the 1,000-calorie-a-day version for sedentary toddlers to the 3,200-calorie one for teenage boys.
Each pyramid has colored vertical bands (as opposed to the old horizontal categories) representing the food groups: orange for grains, red for fruits, green for vegetables, blue for dairy products, purple for meat and beans, and a small yellow band for oils. In fact, the strips vary in width according to their importance; thus, grains, veggies and milk products have wider ones.
internet toolsSince there are so many different pyramids, the only way to access them is through the MyPyramid website, where you can find many different tools to help you follow the new recommendations. In fact, there are a range of tools depending on your level of interest. "My Pyramid Plan" offers a quick and easy estimate of the amounts of every food group you should be eating.
How does this new system work exactly? Find out