As a crucial part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity, she has replaced the traditional food pyramid with a new design called “My Plate”. Officials plan to use the plate in a campaign to communicate essential dietary guidelines to consumers.
The Food Pyramid
The food pyramid has represented a healthy diet for over twenty years. According to the article, “No More Food Pyramid: Nutritional Icon is Now a Plate’, the original pyramid included the four food groups stacked in the shape of a pyramid representing the amount of recommended servings one should eat from each group in a day. The widest part of the pyramid displayed the foods, such as breads, cereals and grains that should make up the largest part of one’s diet. Foods containing more fat were displayed at the top of the pyramid.
In 2005, the USDA revised the pyramid. The new pyramid expanded the number of food groups to include six. It also depicted a person walking up steps on the side of the pyramid to emphasize the need for physical exercise.
Nutrition experts are pleased that both versions of the food pyramid have been replaced with “My Plate”. They believe that the pyramids were complicated, and sometimes difficult to understand.
The Nutrition Plate
According to William Neuman’s article, “Nutrition Plate Unveiled, Replacing Food Pyramid”, the new iconic symbol of a balanced diet, “My Plate”, was created by the Agriculture Department with suggestions and input from the first lady’s anti-obesity campaign and from federal health officials. In the process of developing the plate, the Agriculture Department conducted focus groups with about 4,500 people, including children.
The new icon, “My Plate”, is split into four sections. One section is for fruit, one for vegetables, and one each for grains and protein. A smaller circle is depicted beside the plate to represent dairy products.
The first part of the anti-obesity campaign, which conceived of replacing the food pyramid with a food plate, will encourage people to make half their plate fruit and vegetables. Later phases of the campaign will encourage consumers to avoid large portions. The intent is to urge consumers to enjoy their food while eating less of it. Later phases will also encourage consumers to drink water instead of sugary drinks.
In conclusion, nutritionists have given the plate symbol praise for being easier for the food consumer to understand than the food pyramid is. It emphasizes, in a easy-to-understand way, balancing calories by avoiding oversize portions, increasing healthier food choices, and decreasing less healthy food choices.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
References
- The New York Times: William Neuman, “Nutrition Plate Unveiled, Replacing Food Pyramid” (accessed 10/30/11)
- ABC News: “No More Food Pyramid: Nutritional Icon is Now a Plate” (accessed 10/30/11)
- USDA: “My Plate” (accessed 10/30/11)
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