Adults and children have used the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, food pyramid for years to guide healthy nutritional choices. This pyramid was updated in 2005, and among other things introduced a separate pyramid with guidelines specifically geared toward the needs of children younger than 6. Parents and children should utilize this guide as a tool for daily food choices, based on the five major food groups necessary to ensure good health.
New Versus Old
The old USDA pyramid had horizontal lines dividing the pyramid into smaller portions. Under the old pyramid, smaller sections translated into less of a food type. The new pyramid features vibrantly colored vertical lines. Similar to the original model, the size of each section represents the proportional amount of how much to eat on a daily basis from that food category. The new pyramid also features a person climbing up the side, which represents the importance of physical fitness in the whole health equation. There are some additional changes that simplify quantities, as well as some tweaks regarding food focus.
Change Logic
The new pyramid provides clarity regarding carbohydrate servings, according to MomsWhoThink.com, and puts more of an emphasis on complex carbs. The addition of a physical fitness component recognizes research proving that fitness and healthy eating are critical to good health.
Inside the Pyramid
The new pyramid offers dietary guidelines made easy thanks to the USDA's efforts to simplify its verbiage. To summarize, the USDA urges parents and children to look for the word "whole" when eating grain products and stick to three servings daily. Vegetable intake should be varied, with efforts made to add more dark green or orange veggies along with more dry beans and peas. Fruits should be eaten in any form, be it frozen, fresh or canned, but children should take it easy with high-caloric fruit juices. Parents should opt for low- or nonfat milk options, and children who can't drink milk for whatever reason should substitute lactose-free or soy versions, or look for other dairy sources. Meats and poultry should be low fat and baked, grilled or broiled.
Serving Sizes
Parents should keep portions child sized to avoid overfeeding. The National Network for Child Care suggests adding a tablespoon of each type of food for each year of the child's age.
Bottom Line Messages
Parents and kids can glean several messages from the USDA Food Pyramid for Kids. Children should be encouraged to make healthy changes gradually, as rapid change encourages crash dieting and can be discouraging. A balanced diet is one that incorporates all the "colors" of the pyramid. The message of eating more of some foods and less of others comes across via the amount of space the wedge takes in the pyramid. Lastly, exercise is as important as food choices, and the amount of exercise directly correlates to the amount of food kids should eat.
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