The Healthy Food Pyramid for Children, or MyPyramid for Kids, offers a step-by-step explanation of the key concepts of this graphic diagram--including healthy eating, physical activity, and lifestyle goals that address individual needs for total health and wellness. These are beyond the basic daily food group and portion requirements.
Significance and Function
MyPyramid and MyPyramid for Kids were designed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. Team Nutrition is a specific initiative within the USDA Food and Nutrition Service created to support the Child Nutrition Programs through a variety of venues. These include nutrition education for children and their caregivers/families, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. Team Nutrition's goal is to improve children's eating and exercise habits by using the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid.
Features
MyPyramid for Kids explains six key concepts--through graphics and visual learning techniques--for eating healthy and becoming physically active. The six concepts: be physically active every day; eat more from some (food) groups than others; choose healthier foods from each group; eat color every day; make choices that are right for you; and take one step at a time. These terms and text further explain each goal that surrounds the pyramid graphic. The graphic itself uses colored bars (of varying widths) to represent the food groups, and a set of stairs/steps with a child running up the side (of the pyramid) to represent the importance of daily physical activity.
Healthy Eating Concepts Explained
Three main food/healthy eating concepts are addressed on the MyPyramid for Kids graphic, focusing on variety, moderation and balance. "Eat more from some groups than others" addresses the width of the colored bars. "Did you notice that some of the colored stripes are wider than others?" It explains that the colored bars of the greatest width represent the foods (grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk) that should be consumed most often. "Eat color every day" reminds children that all of the six colors represent different foods (within groups) that should be eaten daily. "Choose healthier foods from each group" reminds children to eat foods from the widest part of each stripe (the bottom of the pyramid) most often.
Considerations
In addition to the MyPyramid for Kids graphic, step-by-step goals and tips, support materials are available online and off-line that reinforce the main concepts of the graphic. Teachers incorporate associated MyPyramid classroom materials into school lessons on healthy eating, including lesson plans, an interactive online game and a MyPyramid for Kids Poster. The MyPyramid for Kids home web page has links to pages that offer additional information, support and documentation, Children and adults can use this to assist in message delivery and reinforcement, such as "tips for families," and a worksheet that allows children to track their daily food intake and activities.
Benefits
The MyPyramid for Kids graphic and support materials are designed for children ages 6 to 11. It's fun, colorful and easily attracts children's attention, encouraging them to learn more about the MyPyramid concepts. The messages and related explanations are clear and direct. The website is interactive and offers a variety of venues for further enrichment and learning, in and out of the classroom. The graphic and support materials are effective and can help children within this age group make healthy eating and physical activity choices early in life, so that they'll carry better habits into adulthood.
References
- MyPyramid for Kids
- Team Nutrition
- Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, 6th Ed.; K.E. Drummond and L.M. Brefere; 2007
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