An overview and comparison between the different nutritional food pyramids.

1. Nutritional
Food
Pyramids
By:
Samah Abdelaal
Under supervision of:
Prof. Dr. Shahira Ramsis

2. USDA Food
Guides

3. 1992: Food Guide Pyramid
– Illustration focused on concepts of variety and
moderation
– Included visualization of added fats and sugars
throughout five food groups and in the tip
– Included range for daily amounts of food across three
calorie levels

5. Interpreting the Food Guide
Pyramid
– The Pyramid provides guidance for individuals 2 years
of age and over.
– Except for the dairy group, the number of servings
that is right for a person depends on his or her calorie
needs.
– For the dairy group, the recommended number of
servings depends on age and for women, on whether
or not they are pregnant or lactating.

6. Interpreting the Food Guide
Pyramid
– The bottom of the recommended range of servings is
about right for many sedentary women and older
adults.
– The middle is about right for most children, teenage
girls, active women, and many sedentary men.
– The top of the range is about right for teenage boys,
many active men, and some very active women.

9. 2005: MyPyramid Food Guidance
System
– Continued “pyramid” concept, based on consumer
research, but simplified illustration. Detailed
information provided on website “MyPyramid.gov”
– Added a band for oils and the concept of physical
activity

11. A look back: Problems with the Food
Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid
– The problem with the US government’s Food Guide
Pyramid was that it conveyed the wrong dietary
advice. And MyPyramid was vague and confusing.
The Food Guide Pyramid:
– Failed to show that whole wheat, brown rice, and
other whole grains are healthier than refined grains.

12. A look back: Problems with the Food
Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid
– Ignored the health benefits of plant oils—and
instead pointed consumers to the type of low-fat diet
that can worsen blood cholesterol profiles.
– Grouped healthy proteins (fish, poultry, beans, and
nuts) into the same category as unhealthy proteins
(red meat and processed meat) and overemphasized
the importance of dairy products.

13. A look back: Problems with the Food
Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid
– MyPyramid, unveiled in 2005, was essentially the
Food Guide Pyramid turned on its side, without any
explanatory text.
– Six swaths of color swept from the apex of MyPyramid
to the base representing the six food groups.
– The widths suggested how much food a person should
choose from each group.

14. A look back: Problems with the Food
Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid
– According to the USDA, MyPyramid was “designed to
be simple,” and to drive people to the USDA’s
MyPyramid website where they could get more
details.
– Relying on the website to provide key information—
like what the colors stand for and what the best
choices are in each food group—guaranteed that the
millions of Americans without access to a computer
or the Internet would have trouble getting these
essential facts.

15. 2011: MyPlate
– Introduced along with updating of USDA food
patterns for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans
– Different shape to help grab consumers’ attention
with a new visual cue
– “My” continues the personalization approach from
MyPyramid

17. MyPlate messages
● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
○ Focus on whole fruits.
○ Vary your veggies.
● Make half your grains whole grains.
● Move to low-fat and fat-free milk or yogurt.
● Vary your protein routine.
● Drink and eat less sodium, saturated fat, and added
sugars.

18. Harvard
School of
Public Health:
Healthy
Eating Plate

19. The main message of the Healthy
Eating Plate is to focus on diet
quality.
– The type of carbohydrate in the diet is more
important than the amount of carbohydrate in the
diet, because some sources of carbohydrate—like
vegetables (other than potatoes), fruits, whole
grains, and beans—are healthier than others.

20. The main message of the Healthy
Eating Plate is to focus on diet
quality.
– potatoes don’t count as vegetables on the Healthy
Eating Plate because of their negative impact on
blood sugar.
– Whole and intact grains have a milder effect on blood
sugar and insulin than white bread, white rice, and
other refined grains.
– Best to avoid sugary beverages, a major source of
calories—usually with little nutritional value.

21. The main message of the Healthy
Eating Plate is to focus on diet
quality.
– Using healthy oils is encouraged, with no set
maximum on the percentage of calories people
should get each day from healthy sources of fat.
– In this way, the Healthy Eating Plate recommends
the opposite of the low-fat message promoted for
decades by the USDA.

22. Healthy Eating Plate
vs. USDA’s MyPlate
– The Healthy Eating Plate, created
by experts at Harvard School of
Public Health and Harvard
Medical School is based
exclusively on the best available
science and was not subjected to
political or commercial pressures
from food industry lobbyists.

23. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Whole Grains Grains
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages
consumers to choose whole grains and
limit refined grains. In the body, refined
grains like white bread and white rice act
just like sugar. Over time, eating too much
of these refined-grain foods can make it
harder to control weight and can raise the
risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Although initially MyPlate did not tell
consumers that whole grains are
better for health, it has since been
updated to suggest that consumers
make at least half of their grains
whole grains.

24. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Healthy Protein Protein
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages
consumers to choose fish, poultry, beans
or nuts, protein sources that contain other
healthful nutrients. It encourages them to
limit red meat and avoid processed meat.
MyPlate offers no indication that red
and processed meat are especially
harmful to health.

25. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Vegetables Vegetables
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages an
abundant variety of vegetables—except for
potatoes and French fries. Potatoes are full
of rapidly digested starch, and they have the
same effect on blood sugar as refined grains
and sweets, so limited consumption is
recommended.
MyPlate does not distinguish
between potatoes and other
vegetables.

26. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Fruits Fruits
The Healthy Eating Plate recommends eating a colorful
variety of fruits.
MyPlate also recommends eating fruits.
Healthy Oils (Not included in MyPlate)
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages
consumers to use olive, canola, and other
plant oils in cooking, on salads, and at the
table. These healthy fats reduce harmful
cholesterol and are good for the heart. It also
recommends limiting butter and avoiding
trans fat.
MyPlate is silent on fat, which could
steer consumers toward the type of
low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that
makes it harder to control weight
and worsens blood cholesterol
profiles.

27. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Water
• The Healthy Eating Plate encourages consumers to drink water, since it’s
naturally calorie free, or to try coffee and tea (with little or no sugar), which are
also great calorie-free alternatives.
• It advises consumers to avoid sugary drinks, since these are major contributors
to the obesity and diabetes epidemics.
• It recommends limiting milk and dairy to one to two servings per day, since high
intakes are associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian
cancer.
• It recommends limiting juice, even 100% fruit juice, to just a small glass a day,
because juice contains as much sugar and as many calories as sugary soda.

28. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Dairy
• MyPlate recommends dairy at every meal, even though there is little if any
evidence that high dairy intakes protect against osteoporosis, and there is
considerable evidence that too-high intakes can be harmful.
• As for sugary drinks, MyPlate says 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit
Group.

29. How does the Healthy Eating Plate
compare to the USDA’s MyPlate?
Stay Active (Not included in MyPlate)
Staying active is half of the secret to weight
control. The other half is eating a healthy diet
with modest portions that meet your calorie
needs.
There is no activity message on
MyPlate.

30. Conclusion
– More whole grains, healthy proteins, plant oils,
water, fruits and vegetables
– Less refined grains, processed meat, trans fat,
dairy, fruit juice and sugary drinks.
– Eat moderate proportions and STAY ACTIVE!

31. References
– https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/brief-history-usda-food-
guides
– https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/Pynet_94.PDF
– https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/food-
guide-pyramid
– https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-pyramid/
– https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/dietary-guidelines
– https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

32. Thank You