Food Pyramid

New Food Pyramid is a Climb Worth Making

By: Darla VanHeerde, M.D.

In April, the USDA introduced its newest version of the well-known food pyramid – the first update in 13 years. While the new pyramid looks different, the new food guidelines are very similar to the old. There are, however, a few important changes.

The first has to do with everyone's favorite four-letter word: Exercise. The new pyramid has a human figure running up the side over a set of steps to signify the importance of movement and exercise in our daily routines. This doesn't mean we all have to become Olympic athletes. It does mean we should strive for the equivalent of 10,000 steps each day. The goal is to make movement part of our regular routine, not something we reserve for an hour or two each week at the gym.

Ten thousand steps may sound like a lot, but they can be accomplished in a number of ways that are fairly easy to do. You can take the dog for a walk after dinner, park in the back row when at the grocery store, take a ten-minute walk during your lunch break, and choose the stairs over the elevator at work. A pedometer can be clipped onto your belt to help you keep track of your steps.

If the new pyramid motivates you to start a more formal exercise regime you probably don't have to consult with your doctor – unless you are a male over 40 or a female over 50 and you plan institute vigorous physical activity into your routine.

The second new message of the pyramid is that there is no one size fits all solution when it comes to diet. Age, gender and activity level all influence intake requirements, and based on those factors, we should take an individual look at what and how much we are eating.

The USDA has a tool to help determine your individual food pyramid, as well as track your eating habits. It can be accessed at www.pyramid.gov , where you will be prompted to enter your age, weight, gender, and activity level.

The third main change of the new pyramid has to do with portion sizes. The old pyramid may have advised us to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, but it really didn't tell us what constituted a portion. A lot of Americans have become accustomed to super-sized portions – especially when it comes to grains such as breads and pastas. Many people might be surprised to learn that a serving of grains is comprised of just one ounce. A sandwich made with two slices of whole wheat bread constitutes two full servings of grains. The “normal” scoop of pasta consumed by most people during lunch or dinner is equal to one to one-and-a-half ounces, which is two or three full servings according to the food pyramid.

A fourth change is that the new pyramid gets more specific about healthy food choices. For instance, the old pyramid didn't differentiate between whole grains and other, less healthful refined grains such as white bread, pasta, and white rice. Now the guidelines clearly indicate that you should eat at east three ounces of whole grain foods -- such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, brown rice, and whole grain cereals -- each day. The old pyramid advised us to eat fruits and vegetables. The new pyramid takes this one step further by recommending that we pay attention to the colors we are eating, with an emphasis on a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables.

So what else do the guidelines say? The food pyramid provides recommendations for daily intake of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans, and oils for ages ranging from two-years-old through adulthood. The daily recommendation ranges are as follows: grains – three to eight ounces, vegetables -- one to three cups, fruits -- one to two cups, milk products -- two to three cups, meat and beans – two to six ounces, and oils – three to seven teaspoons.

Exercise, portion control, and individual diet plans won't immediately cure America's obesity epidemic, which now affects more than 30 percent of adults and nearly 20 percent of teens. In fact, the food pyramid isn't about losing weight; it's about a healthy diet. But, the revised pyramid recommendations are a step in the right direction. People are encouraged to assess where they are today, and look toward the dietary guidelines as goals. If you aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, try to increase your intake by one or two servings a day. If 30 minutes of daily exercise sounds overwhelming, start with 10 minutes daily, or 30 minutes four times a week. The important step is to take the first step – in the right direction. Remember, the original pyramids in Egypt were all built the same way: one block at a time.

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Dr. VanHeerde is a board certified family practice physician at Raiter Clinic.