Old pyramid: A one-size-fits-all approach to diet and exercise.

New pyramid: mypyramid.gov offers the opportunity to go online and personalize the pyramid. The site offers information based on the individual's age, gender and activity level.

Government Nutrition Recommendations

In Food Politics (University of California Press, 2002), New York University nutritionist Marion Nestle outlines the government's changing nutrition recommendations:

• 1917: The U.S. government issued a 14-page pamphlet on how to select foods. It established the food group format based on nutrients required for good health.

• 1920s: The USDA used five food groups to convey its messages.

• 1930s: Food advice emphasized foods rich in vitamins and minerals that could prevent deficiencies.

• 1940s: Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were set for daily nutrient intake of the armed forces and the general population. Various agencies also produced food guides based on wartime rationing.

• 1950s: Dietary advice is simplified into four food groups recommending daily servings to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

• 1970s: Dietary advice shifts from prevention of nutrient deficiencies to prevention of chronic diseases.

• 1980s: The first Dietary Guidelines for Americans is released. The guidelines are mandated to continue to be issued by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services every five years.

• 1992: The first USDA pyramid is unveiled, despite opposition from commodity groups that preferred designs that did not delineate a hierarchy.

• 2005: The Dietary Guidelines are released in January, followed by “MyPyramid,” a revised and personalized food guidance system icon.

mypyramid.gov
 

“Every American can find a pyramid that is right for them at mypyramid.gov,” says Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

On the first day it was up and running, the USDA's new nutrition Web site received 1,000 to 1,500 hits a second.

• Start with My Pyramid Plan: Johanns refers to it as the “101 version.” Type in your age, gender and physical activity level, and you'll get an estimate of what and how much food you should eat from the different food groups.

• Move up to My Pyramid Tracker: Johanns refers to it as a “graduate level version.” It provides detailed information based on data you enter about what you actually eat and how much you exercise. The information can be tailored to weight maintenance or weight loss.

In the coming months, the government will release a Spanish-language version and a child-friendly version of the MyPyramid materials.