by Phillip Osborn

Created on: March 25, 2009   Last Updated: April 22, 2009

MyPyramid: Steps to a Healthier You

The "Old" Food Pyramid

Most adults today did not receive extensive health and nutrition education as a child, but the one concept that is unanimously remembered is the Food Pyramid. This was the principle diagram that categorized our food into specific groups based on their chief nutritional values.

Over many years, negative health issues in America have steadily increased, and today remain among the top causes of premature deaths in the United States. Poor nutrition and inadequate activity levels attribute to many of these concerns, yet even those who attempt to vary their diet are unsure which foods are more beneficial. How much should a person consume from each food group based on his/her physical activity? The pyramid put substantial emphasis on the importance of grains and cereals, as this group was represented by the largest, base portion of the diagram. This seemed to contradict today's advice that an overabundance of carbohydrates in one's diet can have negative affects on healthy body mass. These uncertainties were not fully addressed by the original Food Pyramid, and led to the evolution of MyPyramid.

MyPyramid

In 2005, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released revised nutritional guidelines along with the upgraded, MyPyramid. These guidelines suggest that an individual make half his/her grains "whole", vary vegetables, focus on whole fruits, distinguish among fats (healthy unsaturated/"bad" saturated), and eat lean protein and dairy sources. While stressing the importance of food quality, personalized emphasis is also placed on the relationship between dietary intake and physical activity.

The pyramid structure still remains, as items narrow in size and portion higher up on the diagram. Yet, MyPyramid is not separated into blocks with upper/lower levels. Like rays of sunshine, division lines from the pyramid tip extend to the base, separating food groups into distinct, color-coded sections. Steps along the side of the pyramid also widen as they reach the base, representing an individual's daily activity level. Further up the pyramid, the width of food portions and steps decreases, signifying the conceptual relationship between lowered physical activity and reduced dietary intake.

MyPyramid.Gov

With introduction of the improved food pyramid and dietary guidelines, the USDA also developed the website, MyPyramid.gov. With a well-organized format, MyPyramid.gov is a user-friendly site that allows the entire family to research and follow their nutritional progress. Conceptual themes and goals can be customized for general public, preschoolers, older children, and even pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. Interactive tools are provided to develop tailored meal plans, track food intake, and compose personalized dietary recommendations. An individual can track energy expenditure (calories burned) based on varied daily physical activities and/or exercise, and calculate how much activity is needed to obtain his/her specific goals. MyPyramid tracker can quickly analyze nutritional content and calories burned of virtually every food or physical activity, respectively.

Mandated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MyPyramid.gov is an excellent resource for the latest nutritional health information, scientific research, politics, and other media. The website even provides Podcast health tips for people on the go.

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