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The New Pyramid
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FOH Program Contact:
Kari Meyer
Phone: 404-562-7950 ext 108
Email: kmeyer@psc.gov 		 
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is published jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is revised every five years so it can keep up with new developments. The Guidelines set the standards for all federal nutrition programs, including the school lunch program, and Americans rely on them for sound nutritional information. Over a decade ago, the USDA created an image which has endured as a powerful visual cue for healthy eating; the Food Pyramid. The Pyramid’s shape clearly illustrated which foods people should eat more often and which to eat only rarely or in moderation.

The revision of the Dietary Guidelines in 2005 made sweeping changes, including those made to the, now obsolete, Food Pyramid graphic. The new pyramid literally knocked the old one on its side, creating vertical food groups that extend each food group the entire length of the pyramid, with each color representing a different group.

Another change is the addition of an image of a figure walking up steps on the side of the new pyramid to reflect the new emphasis on physical fitness.

A more discerning approach to the concept of food groups is central to the recent revision. Previously, sweeping generalizations were made to consume more or less of certain categories of foods, which were either all good or all bad. For example, all fats were to be limited but breads, cereals, and pasta were “safe.” The new guidelines now recognize that some types of fats are beneficial, and that we should become more discriminating when selecting from some less-than-beneficial carbohydrate rich foods.

The new system is also more tech-savvy. All the information you need is on the Web. The "interactive food guidance system, as it’s now called, is web-based. Users can log on and access tools and resources, and get personalized dietary information.

Some of the major changes of the Dietary Guidelines are highlighted below and include:

  • A recognition of the health benefits of certain types of fat as well as a recommendation to get between 20% and 35% of calories from fats
  • Removal of the term, "complex carbohydrates," which was frequently misunderstood. The new recommendation is to limit sugar intake and increase the intake of good quality whole grains.
  • Elimination of the term “servings.” New recommended amounts are shown in cups or ounces.
  • An emphasis on physical activity with a recommendation for adults to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
One important change is that breads and other starches are no longer considered equally healthy. The new Guidelines suggest Americans reduce their use of sugar and increase their intake of whole grains. This means that you must read food labels and learn to distinguish between types of grain-based foods. Below are some tips to help you.
  • Hot cereals: Select old-fashioned (not instant) or steel-cut oats.
  • Cold cereal: Select those that list whole wheat, oats, barley, or other grains first on the ingredient list.
  • Breads: Select whole-grain breads. Make sure that whole wheat or other whole grain is the first ingredient listed on the label.
  • Grains: Eat brown rice. Look for grains like bulgur, millet, or hulled barley.
  • Pasta: Select from the varieties of whole wheat pastas. If whole-grain pasta doesn’t satisfy you, look for pastas made with half whole-wheat flour and half white flour.
  • Sugars: Limit foods with sugars listed as the first or second ingredients.
Applying the new information from the revised Dietary Guidelines will require a major change in our approach to eating. FOH’s Health Promotion Services can help agency managers educate federal employees and keep them healthy and productive. In doing so, we help them implement health policies and programs to reduce the risk of premature morbidity, mortality and disability, foster healthy lifestyles, and support a healthy working environment, as outlined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).1

FOH’s Health Promotion Services includes not only dietary and health education, FOH provides the range of traditional services such as immunizations, health screening tests, on-site and virtual physical fitness programs, and intervention programs such as for nicotine addiction. Also, all services can be tailored to meet the needs of any agency based on the specific health concerns of their populations.

FOH provides customized for one-on-one health counseling services or group education programs such as our “Lighten Up! with FOH.” FOH also offers coordinated walking programs, smoking cessation services and health fairs.

To learn more about how FOH can help your agency promote health and productivity, contact FOH today.

1Citation: www.opm.gov/Employment_and_Benefits/WorkLife/HealthWellness/HealthPromotion/index.asp

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