New food pyramid caters to individuals lifestyles

Attached to the doors of millions of refrigerators across the country, the Food Guide Pyramid is a symbol of healthy eating. Statistics show that 80 percent of Americans are familiar with the pyramid, which was created in 1992. \nHowever, the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled a successor to the pyramid April 19. Dubbed "MyPyramid," it emphasizes exercise — at least 30 minutes of physical activity several days a week for adults — and provides personalized eating plans on its Web site, MyPyramid.gov.\nWas now the time for a switch from the old pyramid?\n"Absolutely, because people didn't understand it," said Stacey Matavuli, a registered dietician at Bloomington Hospital.\nThat high penetration rate among Americans hasn't correlated with understanding. Statistics also say only 8 percent of people actually followed the old pyramid's guidelines.\n"I think people had become so accustomed to the old Food Guide Pyramid that they had grown tired of its message," said Christopher Arvin, fitness and wellness program director at IU's Division of Recreational Sports.\n"However, the message — lots of good, whole-grain carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables — is still right on," Arvin said. "We just needed a new way to phrase the message in hopes that people would listen again."\nAn interactive Web site, MyPyramid.gov, lets visitors input their age, sex and usual level of exercise to get a tailored health guide tailored, called "My Pyramid Plan." The plan lists the daily recommended amounts of each food group — meat and beans, grains, vegetables, fruit and milk — on downloadable reports based on calorie consumption.\n"What they're trying to do is individualize (daily eating)," said Julie Shertzer, an associate instructor in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation's Applied Health Science Department.\nThe new guide suggests different foods and exercise levels to people based on their age, sex and activity level. It also measures foods with cups and ounces, avoiding the common but vague and often misunderstood serving sizes.\nBut that's OK, Matavuli said, "Because people don't really understand what serving sizes are."\n"It was hard to get a handle on proportion sizes," Shertzer said of the old pyramid. "It made people only think of the things they pictured."\nThe Nutrition Facts labels found on all packaged foods will also see an upgrade in the future, Matavuli said, to account for MyPyramid's new recommendations.\nBut Matavuli said she believes there is never enough room to fit all the necessary food and fitness information people should know.\n"It's practically impossible to put enough information in one icon," Matavuli said.\nShertzer said one problem with MyPyramid.gov's interactive food plan is that it doesn't account for people's differences in size and weight. She said her recommended caloric intake was much higher than what she actually eats in a day.\nMyPyramid recommends slightly lower consumption of grains from the previous 6--11 servings of foods like bread and pasta, Matavuli said. It suggests at least 3 ounces of grains be whole grains, which contain dietary fiber, iron and B vitamins that refined grains, like white rice and bread, lack. Whole-grain foods are those made from whole-wheat flour and include oatmeal and brown rice.\nThe U.S. government's 2005 dietary guidelines, released in January and every five years, called for changes to food as well as exercise. It says adults should aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week and 60 minutes for children, but it insists more exercise may be necessary to lose or maintain weight.\nBrisk walking, gardening, yard work and dancing all fall under MyPyramid's acceptable level of physical activity. Casual walking, such as everyday trips to and from class, however, does not.\n"Find some form of exercise you really enjoy: get outside, exercise with a friend, play an active sport, take walks with your family," Arvin said. "Small bouts of physical activity throughout your day really do add up, and can make a significant difference."\nDespite the new food pyramid, the burden lies on each individual person to make the lifestyle changes necessary for better health.\n"The people who are willing to look at (the pyramid) are the ones who are going to be willing to change," Matavuli said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Patrick Caldwell at pcaldwel@indiana.edu.