The U.S. Agriculture Department, (USDA), in an attempt to combat the obesity epidemic has updated its well-known Food Guide Pyramid with a triangular symbol that emphasizes exercise and urges consumers to use an Internet site to design a personalized plan for healthy eating.
The Bush administration's decision to keep the same controversial food "pyramid," making some cursory changes to encourage healthy eating and exercise, has drawn criticism for being more confusing than helpful. The food pyramid, which was developed in 1992 has been criticized by many health experts for contributing to obesity by promoting foods high in carbohydrates.
The new guide called MyPyramid has been immediately slated by many health experts because it places responsibility on consumers and not food companies. They say it is more confusing and will not help poor Americans and those who do not have a computer.
Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University says the guide panders to the food industry and does not help consumers who are already confused about what to eat. "The people that need the advice the most aren't going to get it," she said.
Margo Wootan, nutrition director of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest says people need very clear advice without having to log on to the Internet.
The new Food Guide Pyramid has a triangle divided by six-different coloured bands representing different food groups with a set of steps beside it and a stick figure walking up them to emphasize exercise.
Food proportions are shown by the different widths of the bands with grains (orange) the largest, followed by dairy (blue), vegetables (green), fruits (red), meat and beans (purple), and fats, sugars and salt (yellow).