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Publication #FAR8022

The New Food Pyramid1

Linda Bobroff 2

Nutrition educators across the country waited in anticipation for months, and finally the waiting ended in April, 2005, when the USDA unveiled the symbol for their new food guidance system, now called "My Pyramid." The graphic is a three-dimensional pyramid that symbolizes both healthful eating and physical activity, and includes the slogan "Steps to a Healthier You."

Gone are the servings and the layered food groups of the old food guide pyramid. My Pyramid has each food group, including the fats group, going from the tip to the base of the pyramid, demonstrating that each food group contains healthful and not-so-healthful choices. For good health, we want most of our choices to be at the base of the pyramid—those foods from each food group that are low in solid fats and added sugars.

The proportion of foods to be eaten from each food group is shown by the width of the colored bands that represent each food group: orange for grains, green for vegetables, and so on. The amount of food to eat from each food group depends on your calorie needs. Family members of all ages can learn to make healthier food choices using the educational materials provided by USDA on the web site, http://www.mypyramid.gov. Also be on the lookout for community-based programs, such as your local Extension programs, using the new food guidance system to teach better nutrition. Let the experts be your guide!

Listening, learning, and living together: it's the science of life. "Family Album" is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our Web site at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

To listen to the radio broadcast:

http://www.radiosource.net/radio_stories/newfood.mp3

http://www.radiosource.net/radio_stories/newfood.wav

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR8022, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published February 2008. In the interest of time or clarity, the broadcast version of this script may have been modified. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Linda Bobroff, professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.