The U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a food pyramid system to educate consumers about proper nutrition, and special information has been designed to meet the needs of children. This information, available in detail via the USDA's MyPyramid.gov website, is divided into educational material for parents of preschoolers and attractive, educational material in simple language directed at children age 6 to 11.
Features
The food pyramid for children has colored stripes that indicate the grain, vegetable, fruit, oil, milk, and meat and beans food groups. Larger stripes indicate which foods should be consumed in higher quantities. In descending order, the food group consumption recommendations are: grains, milk, vegetables, fruits, meat and beans, and oils. Children also are taught that the stripes on the pyramid are wider at the bottom, representing foods in each group they should be eating more of than others. For example, oats should be consumed more often than white bread. A child is shown to be running up stairs on the pyramid, to remind children that they need to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.
Details
Parents can use the MyPyramid website to explore details specific to their child, inputting the child's age, gender and activity level to get dietary recommendations. For example, the website states that a 3-year-old girl who is physically active for 30 to 60 minutes per day should eat 4 oz. of grains, 1 1/2 cups of vegetables, 1 cup of fruits, 2 cups of milk, 3 oz. of meat and beans, 4 tsp. of oil and up to 170 calories of foods that do not fit into the groups. A "MyPyramid Plan" is available for children 6 and older and adults that allows the user to input age, gender, amount of physical activity, height and weight. The site computes how much food from each group should be consumed each day.
Significance
The creation of the USDA food pyramid won approval from many groups, as it was considered an improvement over the four food groups system of the past. Initial complaints that the pyramid was too complicated has led to simpler details and instructions over the years. Based on nutritional science and research on eating patterns of Americans, the food pyramid is now a popular teaching tool for dietitians, teachers and parents. Calorie counting is de-emphasized in keeping with the principle of simplicity.
Limitations
The USDA food pyramid is designed for the average, healthy child; however, many children have special nutritional needs. If your child has diabetes, obesity, food allergies, celiac disease or another health issue that affects her food intake, you should consult with her physician for specific advice. Some experts also consider the pyramid to have limited value due to it not stressing which foods should be avoided, such as trans fat. For the general public, the advantages appear to outweigh the limitations.
Benefits
In addition to educating parents about appropriate nutrition for children, the food pyramid and website are created to garner a child's interest. Attractive colorful posters and a nutritional game are designed to teach children habits that can last well into their adult years.
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