In 2005 the USDA introduced the all new food pyramid, which is supposed to be the new beacon of healthy living. But is it? Here is an image, taken from a 2005 Washington Post article, of the new pyramid alongside the old one:
The obvious improvement is the fact that EXERCISE has been added. There is no way that any of us are going to be healthy if we sit around watching TV or playing on the internet all day. But is the new food pyramid really all that much better? The Harvard School of Public Health says no. Here is a short excerpt from the intro:
We can’t look at a pyramid these days without thinking of food and healthy eating. There was the U.S. government’s Food Guide Pyramid, followed by its replacement, My Pyramid, which was basically the same thing, just pitched on its side. The problem was that these efforts, while generally good intentioned, have been quite flawed at actually showing people what makes up a healthy diet. Why? Their recommendations have often been based on out-of-date science and influenced by people with business interests in their messages.
And here is the pyramid recommended by the Harvard folks:
For part of the Harvard critique, check out this press release from 2006. For another critique of the food pyramid, as well as some background history, check out this article here. One of the primary problems all along with the food pyramid is that the USDA is heavily influenced by business interests, so “health” isn’t always the top priority. Read up, and see what you think.
