The MyPyramid was developed by the USDA in 2005 and updated in 2010. It is a detailed nutrition and physical activity plan based on the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans,' a document produced by the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This document is the official position of the U.S. government on a healthy lifestyle and is used in the development of federal nutrition policy. The focus of the USDA and DHHS in the development of MyPyramid is to improve health by improving the quality of the average American diet.
Recommendations
The MyPyramid food guide incorporates recommendations made in nine different categories, which are adequate nutrients within calorie needs, weight management, physical activity, food groups to encourage, food safety and intakes of fats, carbohydrates, sodium and potassium and alcoholic beverages. The 2010 guidelines additionally have recommendations on fatty acid and cholesterol intakes.
The Pyramid Icon
The pyramid icon is meant to represent variety, symbolized by the six color bands for the five food groups and oils; moderation, symbolized by the narrowing of color bands at the top of the pyramid; the importance of physical activity, symbolized by the person climbing the steps; and proportionality, symbolized by the different widths of the food group color bands.
Goals
According to Susan H. Laramee, registered dietitian and past-president of the American Dietetic Association in 2005, "The ultimate value and success of the new 'MyPyramid' Food Guidance System graphic will be measured by whether it can serve as an effective tool to help people eat according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans." The dietary guidelines and MyPyramid guide have the goal of reducing the incidence of overweight and obesity by shifting the population to a plant-based diet, decreasing the intake of foods containing added solid fats, added sugars and refined grains and providing guidelines for adequate physical activity. The ADA agrees that the key factors in obtaining this goal are to take a personalized approach to weight management, eat a variety of foods in moderation, know calorie consumption and balance diet with physical activity.
Website
The MyPyramid website offers multiple resources, such as a food nutrition guide, a diet and physical activity tracker, a menu planner, a diet analysis, tips and dietary guidelines for the general population and specific groups including children and pregnant women. An article in the April 2006 issue of "Diabetes Spectrum" notes that the MyPyramid website is designed to allow users to personalize daily dietary planning and when used appropriately is effective in the diabetes self-management education process.
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