Food Pyramid gets new name, new look

Thursday, June 9, 2005

SIKESTON - For the first time since its introduction 12 years ago, the food pyramid was revised and made public earlier this year.

"There are studies that have been done that show children are not eating properly and not getting the right amount of exercise," said Afton Green, food service director for the Sikeston School District.

Robin Standridge, a dietitian at Missouri Delta Medical Center, agreed. "Basically, over the last several years, they''ve done research that we need to eat more grains," she said. While research is constantly being done, officials felt it was time to update and personalize the pyramid.

The new version, MyPyramid, has a few changes. One of the most important is the addition of exercise.

"Instead of just suggesting serving amounts, it is a whole lifestyle change," said Ann Burns, a nutritionist at the Sikeston WIC clinic. MyPyramid was developed to help people choose a healthier lifestyle by balancing nutrition and exercise.

Although the four basic food groups remain the same, vertical lines in MyPyramid replace the squares from the old version.

In the old pyramid, the bottom layer was considered most important and the top least important. The new pyramid, on the other hand, should be read from left to right. The leading image on the left side is a staircase. "It signifies the importance of incorporating activity," Standridge said.

While recommendations were general in the old version, they depend on sex, age and amount of physical activity done that day in the new food pyramid.

MyPyramid also provides web-based interactive and print materials for consumers on their web site, www.mypyramid.gov. This site also helps individuals determine the type and amounts of foods they should eat, based on the three individual components.

There are also materials for professional use, such as agencies, nutritionists and educators to help others understand the new system.

These materials include Food Intake Patterns, identifying what and how much food an individual should eat to be healthy; and Education Framework, describing what changes most Americans need to make, how to make them, and why these changes are important.

It is important for people to become aware the pyramid and food recommendations are changing, Burns said. Those with computer access should visit the site, see how it applies to them, and them adapt the guidelines to their diet.

"They really encourage you to go to the Web site and look for your specific age group," Burns said. There are five groups for kids, so it is definitely more specific for them, she said.

So far, there aren''t any complaints about the new pyramid. But that may change once MyPyramid is used more often. "As we use it we may find some disadvantages," Burns said.

One possible disadvantage, however, may be the time involved in learning the new system. "When I looked at the Web site, I felt a little overwhelmed with all of the information," Standridge said.

People should expect to see the new pyramid in different publications and packages soon, according to Burns. "It takes awhile to get all this out to people," she said. "It just came out in April, so it definitely has a long way to go."

Green, who is employed by Chartwells Dining, said they are just now receiving new materials and their staff should be fully educated on the new recommendations by the fall.

And the students will learn about the new guidelines as well. By June 2006, all schools involved in the national school lunch program are required to have a wellness program in place, according to Lori Boardman, director of business services for the school district.

"The food pyramid will be incorporated into their programs," she said. "They''ll be taught how to eat the right way."

The change in the food pyramid is also leading to some changes in school menus, according to Green.

"We''ve already tried changing some of the menus close to the end of the school year," she said. "We also offer more low fat items, such as yogurt, and we''re trying to do less sugar also."

Results of studies have requested that schools stop frying items and offer more baked items, Green said. As a result, Southwest Elementary will get more ovens instead of fryers and there will be no more frying at the Fifth Grade Center.

Changes at the middle school and high school levels are also in the works, giving students more healthy choices.

"I know the kids would probably rather have fast food," Green said. "But with all the obesity problems and studies, we''re trying to get away from that."

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