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USDA's
pyramid for kids needs more truth
October 13, 05
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Like Grandma, the government isn’t about to say no to
the kids.
The new MyPyramid for Kids was released last month. It’s
the kid version of the adult food guide pyramid released last
April by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In light of high
rates of obesity among kids, the tool should be a vital aid
for parents and educators in teaching kids about the roles
of diet and exercise for health.
But it won’t be, because the USDA has again created
a graphic device that doesn’t do enough to convey what
needs to be said about good foods and bad ones.
The USDA relied on the same flawed approach to the kids’
pyramid as it did for the adult MyPyramid, with the primary
tool being a logo – a “motivational symbol”–
that only hints at the concept that some foods may be better
for health than others.
The agency “kidified” the adult version of MyPyramid
by adding cartoonlike images of kids and playful text font.
But like the adult pyramid, the primary graphic symbol for
kids is a pyramid filled with tapered, multicolored bands
representing food groups. View MyPyramid for Kids online at
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/kids-pyramid.html.
The overriding message is one of inclusion – the tired
“all foods can fit” message trumpeted by the food
industry and its captured trade associations and government
agencies – with little emphasis on limiting foods that
contribute to nutritional excesses in our diets.
On a positive note: While the adult pyramid contains no words
or images – essentially an empty logo – the basic
kids pyramid poster does provide some detail, including pictures
of foods and limited explanations of best choices.
But it does an inadequate job of showing that some foods are
better for health than others. Acknowledgement that some foods
don’t support health is made only indirectly by omission
or inference.
For example, there’s no mention of the full-fat cheese
that comes on most pizzas or the fatty meats in kid-staple
hamburgers and hotdogs.
And instead of telling kids to skip the soda, the fine print
at the bottom of the poster says to “Choose food and
beverages low in added sugars and other caloric sweeteners.”
What the pyramid does say:
* Be Physically Active Every Day. Physical activity gets top
billing, though it’s unlikely most kids could be active
enough to offset a diet heavy on fast foods and junky treats.
* Eat More Foods From Some Food Groups Than Others. This concept
is meant to be conveyed by colored stripes, some wider than
others. To my eye, though, the bands don’t look different
enough to register a meaningful message. It’s not clear
how a child would put this advice into practice. A more likely
impression is, “Eat everything.”
* Every Color Every Day. In other words, you can eat anything.
* Choose Healthier Foods from Each Group. Which ones are less
healthy? It isn’t clear.
* Make Choices That Are Right for You. Kids who need more
help understanding what to eat are directed to a web site,
MyPyramid.gov. That assumes they have access to a computer
– and would use one to look up nutrition advice.
* Take One Step at a Time. The recommendation to make lifestyle
changes gradually is reasonable, but the plan falls short
of supporting that goal.
Even the best dietary advice doesn’t stand a chance
unless government leaders and educators commit to supporting
policies to create a culture of health that helps kids succeed
in living healthier lives.
A step in that direction would be for some government truth-telling
in its nutrition advice.
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