U.S. considers alternative to well-known food pyramid

Most Americans are familiar with the federal Food Guide Pyramid — but a lot of people don’t understand how to use it.

Most Americans are familiar with the federal Food Guide Pyramid — but a lot of people don’t understand how to use it.Too many are confused by the recommendations and can’t figure out how to implement them. The proof, Agriculture Department officials say, is that two out of three Americans are fat.So, as officials develop new guidelines on healthy eating, they also are looking for new ways to get out the message. Replacing the food pyramid, first published in 1992, may be among them.Agriculture Department officials talked about the problem of the pyramid this past week as they trolled for ideas about how to perk up the nation’s nutritional record.Typical of the pyramid’s shortcomings is that some people thought the graphic’s recommendation of 6 to 11 daily servings from the grains group, such as bread, meant they could have anywhere from six to 11 servings. A slice of bread is a serving.Only after the eater checks the pyramid’s supplemental literature does it become clear that six servings are sufficient for people who don’t burn a lot of calories. Eleven servings are for those with high-revved metabolisms.The government wants a graphic that will encourage people to get the information they need to eat better and act on it, said Eric Hentges, director of the Agriculture Department’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.Federal officials say about 80 percent of Americans recognize the pyramid, but about 66 percent are overweight or obese. An Associated Press-Ipsos poll found in May that 30 percent of Americans think the nation’s top health problem is overeating.Along with a review of the pyramid, the department wants ideas on a catchy slogan and other consumer information. The graphic and slogan should be simple, should draw people in and should send them to more detailed and personalized material, said Jackie Haven, a nutritionist at the center.The update of the department’s venerable illustration also must reflect dietary guidelines based on the latest science, which are being updated by an advisory committee organized by the Health and Human Services Department. The new graphic and the final guidelines are being prepared for the secretaries of agriculture and HHS and are scheduled to be published in early 2005.(Source: Indianapolis Star Health, July 2004)