|
Lindsay Lampi
05’ Education Intern
Did you know the Food Guide Pyramid was recently changed? The principles are basically the same; however, there have been changes with respect to activity level and age. The newly revised pyramid has been titled MyPyramid: Steps to a Healthier You. The ultimate goal of MyPyramid is to halt the significant increase in overweight and obesity among Americans. Overweight and obesity are at epidemic proportions primarily due to a lack of physical activity and poor nutrition, which are habits developed at an early age.
MyPyramid outlines what to eat each day and includes a variety of foods and nutrients. There are six food groups: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Oils, Milk, and Meat and Beans. All groups are now positioned vertically within the pyramid, to show that each group is equally important from top to bottom. On the MyPyramid.gov web site, each of these groups has information to include foods in each group, serving size; health benefits and nutrients, and tips for eating according to the recommendations. There have been some changes made within the grain, fruit, and vegetable groups. Nutrition professionals recommend that at least half of your grain servings come from whole grains. The vegetable group has been divided into five subgroups based on their nutrient content. It is also suggested to eat a variety of fruits, but limit fruit juices. MyPyramid promotes variety and provides the amount of servings within each food group based on age, gender and activity level. Also, since the pyramid has been revised, the recommendation of grains has slightly decreased and the amount of fruits and vegetables has increased for the general population.
Although the food groups have been slightly revamped, the biggest change with the new Pyramid is the activity recommendations. There is now a staircase on the side of MyPyramid to represent activity levels. As activity increases, the amount of food consumed needs to increase as well, unless weight loss is the goal. The recommended amount of daily physical activity is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity. The MyPyramid web site provides information on what physical activity is, why it is important, how much is needed, the calories used during exercises, and tips for increasing physical activity.
Now that you have a grasp on the new MyPyramid, you can go explore it on the official Web site at www.mypyramid.gov. Once you get there, click the My Pyramid Plan to get a personal description based on your age, sex and activity level. Your results will be the amount of total daily calories needed specifically for you. The total calories will be broken down into all of the food groups with recommended servings for each. If you want to get even more in-depth recommendations try the My pyramid Tracker. This is a link located right on the left side of the web page, which enables you to track your food intake and physical activity. This can give you a good idea of what you are consuming and what you may need more or less of in your diet. There is also the Dietary Guidelines report under the subject bar to give you guidance about good dietary habits.
The new MyPyramid is very detailed, but is designed to be an individual tool for a healthier lifestyle. What are you waiting for? Go to www.MyPyramid.gov and learn about the nutrition and exercise recommendations. Do something today for your future tomorrow!
|
