United States Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, the former Republican Governor of Nebraska, unveiled “MyPyramid” yesterday, a set of twelve ‘food pyramids’ that replaces the old pyramid which has been the authority on graphical food group distribution since 1992. MyPyramid is tailored to different individuals, as a person’s activity level and caloric intake needs are factored into the scheme. “One pyramid does not fit all of us,” according to Johanns, “so we created 12 different ones.”
The new food pyramid has a bitchin’ color scheme and a guy who looks like he could outrun his AOL counterpart.
Some people are complaining that the pyramids don’t really ‘fit’ anything meaningful. The pyramid, for instance, recommends wide ranges of food quantities in certain food groups (do I eat six servings of grains or eleven?) and doesn’t delineate the size of servings. The pyramid counsels people to use fats and oils “sparingly”. “Sparingly” is hardly a figure you can wrap your hands around. The Department of Agriculture has set up MyPyramid.com to offer more specific guidelines, based on one’s age, sex, and activity level. The New York Times reports:
MyPyramid is about the ability of Americans to personalize their approach when choosing a healthier lifestyle that balances nutrition and exercise,” Mr. Johanns said at a news conference. “Many Americans can dramatically improve their overall health by making modest improvements to their diets and by incorporating regular physical activity into their daily lives.”
The Agriculture Department says that 80 percent of Americans recognized the 1992 pyramid. But Mr. Johanns acknowledged that few followed its recommendations.
This time, the pyramid is a series of vertical color bands of varying widths. The bands of fruits and vegetables combined take up the most space, followed by grains, with the narrowest bands still belonging to fats, oils and sugars. Also new is the stick figure walking up the left side of the pyramid to match the guide’s slogan: “Steps to a healthier you.”
The MyPyramid website seems to have a few kinks to work out. The first time I visited it, it told me I had already submitted information, which had me as a 51 year-old female. When I then changed my information and submitted it, the website sputtered and whirred for a least a minute, and produced no information.
Nathan Novak at 9:45 am
Just as long as they keep meat in there are reject the nonsense from CSPI and PCRM and PETA for a all vegetarian one phooie on the health freaks
Comment by thunderbird — April 20, 2005 @ 2:26 pm
I think the new pyrfamids is better than the first one, and if you can send me a copy of the new pyramids. my e-mail adrass is on the top.
And can you tell me why you think the new one is better than the older one.
Comment by zakari babaji — April 23, 2005 @ 2:55 pm