The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion is an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that was created to take a close look at the nutrition of consumers in America. With the help of advances in nutritional science, the new pyramid looks at age, gender and the amount of daily physical activity of an individual. The USDA has an interactive tool available at www.mypyramid.gov. This tool allows you to input your age, gender and the amount of daily physical activity. It will then provide you with information on each of 5 food groups, such as how many ounces of grains you should eat each day. It will provide you with tips on each food group as well as details on the foods included in each group.
The USDA website listed above offers 2 assessments, one on your food intake and another on your physical activity. These assessments allow you to track information for up to one year as well as provide you with feedback on your diet and physical activity patterns.
Below is a chart outlining the main differences between the old food pyramid and the new food pyramid.
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Old Pyramid |
New Pyramid |
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Name: Food Guide Pyramid |
Name: MyPyramid |
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1 pyramid |
12 pyramids |
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Two-dimensional graphic; one size fits all approach |
Interactive tool; customized based on age, gender and physical activity |
|
Vague description of how much to eat ("servings sizes" could be confusing) |
Detailed description of how much to eat (for example, "2 cups of fruit per day") |
|
6 food categories (and suggested servings):
1. bread, cereal, rice and pasta (6-11 servings)
2. vegetable (3-5 servings)
3. fruit (2-4 servings)
4. milk, yogurt and cheese (2-3 servings)
5. meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts (2-3 servings)
6. fats, oils and sweets (use sparingly) |
6 food categories (and suggested servings):
1. grains (6 ounces)
2. vegetables (2 1/2 cups)
3. fruits (2 cups)
4. milk (3 cups, 2 cups for kids aged 2 to 8)
5. meat and beans (5 1/2 ounces)
6. oils (about 3-7 teaspoons, depending on age and gender) |
|
No mention of physical activity |
Equal emphasis on physical activity and healthy eating |
* See below
Another aspect of a healthy lifestyle promoted by the USDA is physical activity. It is recommended that you incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your day. Below is a list of moderate and vigorous physical activities. It is recommended that if you break up the 30 minutes through the day, each period should be no less than 10 minutes each.
*Moderate physical activities:
- Walking briskly (about 3 1/2 miles per hour — a mile in about 17 minutes)
- Hiking
- Gardening/yard work
- Dancing
- Golf (walking and carrying clubs)
- Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour — a mile in 6 minutes or more)
- Weight training (general light workout)
*Vigorous physical activities:
- Running/jogging (5 miles per hour — a mile in 12 minutes)
- Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour — a mile in 6 minutes or less)
- Swimming (freestyle laps)
- Aerobics
- Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour — a mile in about 13 minutes)
- Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood
- Weight lifting (vigorous effort)
- Basketball (competitive)
For more information on nutrition and healthy lifestyles, see the Aetna website: www.aetnahealthybody.com.
*Obtained from the Aetna Healthy Body website