- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
 USDA introduced MyPlate yesterday. |
 MyPyramid served as the USDA's food guide icon from 2005 to 2011. |
The associate director of the UC Berkeley Center for Weight and Health, Gail Woodward-Lopez, said USDA's new food icon, MyPlate, is more in line with current nutrition science, according to The Bay Citizen.
"It has the potential to be more effective," Woodward-Lopez was quoted. "The pyramid involved counting the number of servings for the day. So when do you make that decision? When you go to bed at night?"
She said the plate in consistent with the Center's findings on obesity prevention for children and adults: "Lots of fruits and vegetables, less refined grains, don't overdo the protein."
Something interesting I've noticed about the news coverage of MyPlate - including the Bay Citizen story - is references to the pyramid it replaces. The original Food Guide Pyramid, introduced in 1992, was replaced by MyPyramid 2005. However, some journalists have ignored the six years of MyPyramid, declaring that MyPlate replaces the long-retired hierarchical Food Guide Pyramid.
See the CNN story (image below) for another example of this common misunderstanding.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The article said the Times sourced its information from "several people who have been briefed on the change." It reported that USDA spent about $2 million to develop and promote the new logo, conduct research and focus groups and create the website.
In its announcement about tomorrow's roll out, USDA said the new food icon will be part of a comprehensive nutrition communication initiative that provides consumers with easy-to-understand recommendations, the new website, plus other tools and resources. Tomorrow's press conference will be live-streamed at http://www.usda.gov/live beginning at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time. A press kit and other information will be available tomorrow at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov.
Americans have been following a pyramid-shaped eating guide for nearly 20 years. The original Food Guide Pyramid, released in 1992, showed a hierarchy of foods, with those that should make up a greater portion of the diet depicted on a wide base, tapering up to smaller quantities at the top. The pyramid had grains as the foundation, fruits and vegetables making up the next largest section, followed by meats and dairy and, in a tiny section at the top, added fats and sugar.
The pyramid was turned on its side in 2005 when USDA introduced the revised "MyPyramid." Vertical strips represented the different food groups and a stick figure running up the side emphasized the need for exercise.
Look for a summary of the news conference, a link to the new website and a picture of the new USDA icon in the UC Food Blog tomorrow.
