Revised pyramid coming soon

Federal agencies set to announce changes to dietary guidelines

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly released a set of dietary guidelines intended to help Americans make wise food choices.

Today, the population is fatter than ever, with some 66 percent of Americans considered overweight or obese.

What went wrong?

Government officials responsible for updating the “Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans” report considered this question and many more as they worked on the 2005 update. In January, when the sixth edition of those guidelines is released, they will have another chance to give the country its best information.

The dietary guidelines are the backbone of all federal policy concerning nutrition. They also provide the scientific basis for the Food Guide Pyramid.

A lot more than the nation’s health is riding on revisions to either of them. Billions of dollars are at stake for the industries that produce milk, meat, grains, fruits, vegetables and fats. Altering the definition or amount of recommended foods could have a considerable impact on food-buying patterns.

Since the release of the 2000 dietary guidelines, however, the food pyramid has been attacked by scientists and health advocates as flawed, out of date and not in line with a highly regarded 2002 Institute of Medicine study that established optimum dietary ranges for fat, carbohydrates and protein and stressed the importance of exercise.

The 2005 dietary guidelines won’t be released until sometime in January, but summary recommendations have been posted on the Web site of the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.¢ Consume a variety of foods.¢ Control calorie intake to manage body weight.¢ Be physically active every day.¢ Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and milk products.¢ Choose fats and carbohydrates wisely for good health.

Changes to the pyramid are likely. Whether they have to do with its shape, or its daily and weekly recommendations about what to eat, or possible interactive tools that could reinforce its messages, a new version is expected in February, once the new dietary guidelines are in place.