May 1, 2005 22:34 - The New Food Guidance System - MyPyramid - What Is It and How Can You Benefit

On April 19, the USDA launched their New Food Guide Pyramid. It's been a long time coming, I've been a bit snowed, but here it is. For the next six days, this will be my focus.

Part 1: MyPyramid Explained - the basics and the concepts it conveys.

Part 2: How MyPyramid was formulated. Who created the MyPyramid ?

Part 3: Who is happy with MyPyramid and who is not and why.

Part 4: What you can get from the new MyPyramid.

Part 5: Why we need to stop obsessing over a picture and get on with eating healthier and encouraging others to do so.

Part 6: My own thoughts about MyPyramid

Check out this page for more information.

May 3, 2005 11:41 - Part 1: MyPyramid Explained - the basics and the concepts it conveys.

Source: http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/pyramid.html

MyPyramid was launched on April 19, by the USDA's Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, which updated the old Food Guide Pyramid which had been in circulation since 1992.

The new nutrition icon has been formulated as a symbol for the general healthy public (MyPyramid is not for therapeutic dietary advice uses such as diabetic nutrition[1]). It is the US Governments new Food Guidance System.

Source: http://www.mypyramid.gov

The pyramid itself, as you can see has six colored stripes each representing broadly grouped together food groups. Running up the wall is a man which represents an active lifestyle.

Now, while there are a myriad of other sites that explain the MyPyramid (Supermarket Guru), but I'll lay them out for you very briefly.

The orange stripe on the pyramid represents grains of which they stipulate half need to come from wholegrains.

Green represents the vegetables which can be then further broken up into dark green, orange vegetables, legumes, starchy and other vegetables.

Red represents fruit (they don't care if its frozen, canned or dried, as long as it includes no added sugar). Limit the fruit juice.

Yellow represents the oils which they have stipulated should include as low as possible levels of trans fatty acids and a limited amount of saturated fats.

Blue represents the dairy which they recommend consuming the low fat or fat free alternatives.

Finally purple stripe represts the protein group. They recommend choosing protein sources with the smallest amount of fats possible.

The pyramid itself tries to signify balancing your dietary intake with physical activity and they recommend exercising for atleast 30 minutes per day.

These guidelines have been designed around the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 which was released on the 12th January 2005.

To be specific about how much each person whould be eating, they designed a pyramid for 12 different individual profiles based on their age, gender and physical activity. When you use the My Pyramid Plan tool it will tell you how many calories you need to eat and exactly how much of each food you need to consume. These results are based on profiles which stipulate caloric intakes of between 1000 and 3200 calorie intakes, each specifying how much of each food should be consumed. For example for a person needing to consume 1800 calories per day; according to MyPyramid would need to consume the following:

Calories	1800
Fruit	1.5 cups
Vegetables	2.5 cups
Grains	6 oz or equivalent
Meat and Beans	5 oz or equiv.
Dairy	3 cups
Oils	5 teaspoons
Discretionary Allowance	195 calories

Source: MyPyramid Food Intake Patterns.

What's the discretionary allowance ? The discretionary allowance is there because they've recognised that if you ate according to these profiles, your nutrient intake may be sufficient (that is you've consumed enough vitamins, minerals, fiber, anti-oxidants, proteins and fats) but your body may still need extra energy to cover its energy needs. So they've put in a miscellaneous section called the discretionary allowance. Some people take this as meaning deserts, sugary or fatty foods, but if you're smart could also be extra food from one of the groups listed in the MyPyramid. Basically the discretionary allowance are the calories left over once your nutritional needs have been met.

The overall concepts of the MyPyramid as set down on the MyPyramid website are personalization, physical activity, moderation, proportionality, variety and gradual improvement.

The makers of the MyPyramid have sought to simplify the food pyramid, but whilst doing this convey more information about individual dietary needs. They have sought to set down guidelines for achieving moderation (signified by the bands widening or narrowing, those with a wider base should be selected more often), proportionality (they now tell you a measured amount of each food) and variety within the diet.

They've aimed to achieve personalization (it's true no one person is like another in their dietary needs) in devising the 12 different versions of the MyPyramid, as well as gradual improvement which they encourage through their MyPyramid Tracker - which looks alot like a commercial computer assisted meal planning and calorie counter.

References:

[1]. Jenniffer May (Registered Dietition) and The New Food Guide Pyramid

Check out this page for more information.

May 4, 2005 12:08 - Part 2: How MyPyramid was formulated. Who created the MyPyramid ?

The re-design of the food pyramid, was as a result of two consultation processes where firstly comments were called for and received on the "new food intake patterns from health and education professionals, government and industry scientists and the American Public."[1] and secondly, allow the general public to comment on the new graphic. The graphic along with others were tested to assess the appeal of the various designs and to refine the elements of the top ranking designs.

The designs were compiled by the International PR firm Porter Novelli Washington, hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food, Nutrition and Consumer Service for nearly $2.5 million to condense the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into an easy to understand graphic.

The New York Times reported on the 10th April 2005, that several of Porter Novelli's former or current clients offered formal comment on the guidelines and icon at government hearings last year. Some of Porter Novelli's former and current clients include companies such as as McDonalds and The Snack Food Association. This association has been viewed suspiciously by bodies such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

References:

1. USDA MyPyramid FAQ's What were the steps in the revision of the original Pyramid and development of MyPyramid.

Read the New York Times April 10 Article For Yourself


Check out this page for more information.

May 5, 2005 12:39 - Part 3: Who is happy with MyPyramid and who is not and why.

Following the USDA's release of the MyPyramid on the 19th April, interested organisations went into a flurry releasing their own press releases stating their own positions on the New Food Pyramid Icon.

The Grocery Manufacturers of America issued a press release the same day indicating that it would support the Governments new Food Guidance System by distributing 58,000 educational posters (a teacher's guide and student activities, as well as parent-orientated material printed in both English and Spanish) to teacher subscribers of the Weekly Reader Corporation (who provide educational materials) amongst other initiatives.[1]

Susan Laramee, President of the American Dietetic Association sent out a news release that same day as well. Theirs was a little more cautious in tone. They said in their press release "Time will tell if MyPyramid will convey to consumers the vital nutritional messages of balance, variety, moderation and adequacy. If MyPyramid can assist people in effectively adopting the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines, it will be a great success." [2] They felt that no one graphic could be used by itself to educate the population about healthy eating.

They however indicate that they agree with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and will be promoting its principles in shaping nutrition programs, research, education, labelling and that their members will incorporate MyPyramid and the Food Guidance System into their individual counselling sessions. So the MyPyramid has some influential supporters.

The problem though, is that they also have their critics as well.

As mentioned in my last post, the Center for Science in the Public Interest wasn't too impressed with the Governments choice of company to design the MyPyramid. On the 19th April, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) released their own press release stating that the new pyramid is a 'missed opportunity', citing that the new food guidance system is more complicated than it needs to be. They also feel that the USDA wanted to avoid upsetting food companies by not showing any foods at all on the graphic.[3]

Perhaps their largest critics are the people at the Harvard School of Public Health. They are so opposed to the new pyramid that they've put forward their own representation of healthy eating. While they agree with the step of including physical activity in the model, differentiating good fats from bad, limiting sugar and eating more whole grains, they have presented some stiff opposition to some aspects as well.

A summary of their criticisms follow:

1. Why recommend that half of the grains consumed may be from refined starch ?
2. Recommendation to choose low-fat or lean meats does not take into account that fish and red meats have different types of fats.
3. They put forward that there is little scientific evidence that the consumption of dairy products helps to prevent osteoporosis.[4]

So while some are happy with the new healthy eating icon, some definitely are not.

References:

[1] Grocery Manufacturers of America Press Release 19, April 2005

[2] American Dietetic Association Press Release 19, April 2005

[3] Center For Science In The Public Interest Press Release 19, April 2005

[4] Harvard School of Public Health - Food Pyramids

May 6, 2005 20:19 - Part 4: What you can get from the new My Pyramid

Like the new icon or not, you can benefit from the overall fat burning food concepts that the Food Guidance System puts forward. These concepts are:

1. moderation,
2. variety,
3. proportional eating to your activity level,
4. eating more fruit and vegetables,
5. limiting saturated fats and trans fatty acids,
6. consuming fat free or low fat dairy products,
7. eating more whole grains and
8. eating lean meats and low sodium products.

These principles are similar to those I've endeavoured to put across throughout this website. They are not new principles but are important for your weight loss efforts. These and other principles were addressed by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

So while the new food pyramid might seem all well and good to you, and may not seem to have much bearing on how you can lose weight, these principles are actually pretty important. If you were to implement the principle of long term moderation (eat less of the foods containing high sugar or solid fat levels) you would be implementing a tried and true weight loss strategy.

Eating a variety of food across the food groups; this too is important to ensure that your body is getting the benefit of the full range of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fats, proteins and carbs that it needs to do its work of keeping you healthy.

Eating according to your activity level; this I feel is an important point. A sedentary person who eats the same amount and types of food that an active person does, is obviously more likely to put weight on over time. Everyone trying to lose weight, or just trying to be healthy will sooner or later, recognise that exercise has a million benefits.

Eating more fruits and vegetables, staying away from saturated fats and trans fatty acids, consuming fat free or low fat dairy products, eating more whole grains and eating lean meats and low sodium products - all these recommendations are useful eating habits to get into, in order to lose weight.

So the release of the Food Guidance System by the U.S. Government is a free tool available to everyone with a computer, that can help in your weight loss and fat burning food endeavours.

If you haven't already, go and visit the MyPyramid site, click on New User Registration and put in your details. From here you can input the foods you've eaten, analyze the foods you've put into the system, analyze the physical activity you've done and calculate your energy balance.

I think this represents the real benefit of the new Food Guidance System, because having access to a free tool that can give personalized guidance is invaluable. If you haven't taken the time to register and spent time putting in the details of what you've eaten and how you've exercised, then do it today, and keep doing it. The simple act of doing so won't help you to lose weight, but it will give you a good indication of the appropriate direction for YOUR weight loss.

May 7, 2005 21:46 - Part 5: Why we need to stop obsessing over a picture and get on with eating healthier and encouraging others to do so.

Now while all this has been going on, with one organization issuing press releases, and another issuing their own, the consumer to some extent has been left somewhat bewildered. I've seen forum posts where they've said that they give up, it's too complicated. They feel like just going back to their old habits because they don't know what to believe any more.

Let's forget the new food guide pyramid, it's a picture. Nothing more. I believe that focussing on a representational graphic and debating whether it is of educational benefit for the nutritional needs of the general population is somewhat counter-productive.

Instead, lets just accept the graphic, as I'm sure many have done already, and get on with making sure that we're eating healthily with lots of whole grain foods, consuming less saturated fats and trans fatty acids and making an effort to get out - experience life - and exercise. Looking beyond the graphic towards the principles it represents means that you can not only apply it to your own life, but also help others to apply it to theirs.

May 9, 2005 13:14 - Part 6: My own thoughts about My Pyramid

While studying the new Food Guidance System with interest, I realised, as many have pointed out, that this food pyramid is not the ideal representation of healthy eating, but it is a good start. Most nutrition professionals recognised that the old food guide pyramid needed updating and this new food guide pyramid is a good start.

So while I recognise that it has its limitations, and do in some respects agree with the Harvard School of Public Health, that it does not go far enough with some guidelines [1], it can serve as a good starting point for those who want to pursue healthy eating and eventually, for those who hold the goal, lose weight.

Having gone through the process of using the tools made available from the Government's My Pyramid site, I believe that they can and do offer the general public a valuable tool with which to tackle individual weight and healthy eating issues. Having said this, though, I do also believe that these tools need to be used in conjunction with the advise of your local health care professional and/or dietition. A computer assisted tool cannot possibly replace the advise that you obtain from these professionals.

These tools are totally free and made available to everyone who has a computer. Therefore why not use them.

This ends the review of the new food pyramid. I hope you've enjoyed the series. If you would like to request any particular topics you'd like me to cover, please leave your comments by clicking on the comments link.

Next week I will be putting up low glycemic index recipes for everyone to try out.

Notes:

[1] Issues such as the eating of whole grains and differentiating the kinds of fats eaten when eating protein sources such as meat and fish.

May 12, 2005 20:19 - Low GI Recipes - Tuna Bake

Ingredients

2 tbspns of olive oil
1 can 425 g of tuna in spring water
2 1/2 cups of skim milk
2 tbspns of plain whole meal flour
1 cup of low fat or no fat cheese
80 grams of peas
180 grams boiled durum wheat pasta
50 grams chopped steamed carrots

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees centigrade. Heal oil in saucepan for 1 minute. Add the whole meal flour and mix, heat for 2 minutes and then add a few ml's of milk to form a paste. Continue adding the milk in small amounts, over the heat, until all finished and stir continuously until the flour mixture and milk is combined.

heat the mixture, while still stirring and the mixture thickens. Add half the cheese and heat until cheese has melted into the sauce.

In a casserole dish combine the cheese sauce, tuna, steamed carrot, peas and boiled pasta. Mix until the sauce covers all the ingredients. Top with the other half of cheese and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and serve.

May 17, 2005 21:01 - What to do in a weight loss plateau.

Weight loss plateau's. They are the scourge of the dieters life, and if you've got a lot of weight to lose, you've no doubt experienced it or are likely to experience it. It is theorised that weight loss plateau's occur because the body is protecting itself from famine. That is, it stops shedding weight to protect the body from the apparent disaster that it thinks is imminent because of the recent weight loss.

Weight loss plateau's may occur for a number of reasons, they may occur because of a slight deviation away from the calorie intake that you were consuming before-hand. Even just one biscuit can represent a significant increase in calorie intake.

The American Dietetics Association suggests that weight loss plateau's may occur because your body no longer needs as many calories to function. Alternatively, you might have an unrealistic weight loss goal.

The reasons why you've suddenly stopped losing weight are usually specific to the individual. A spokesman for the American Dietetics Association recommended in a press release the following course of action.

1. If you haven't already, start a food diary: this will give yourself and your dietitian a good indication of where improvement can occur.
2. Increase the duration or intensity of your exercise or try something a bit more challenging.
3. Consult a dietitian for strategies specific to your individual needs that will allow you to achieve your weight loss goals.

Source: American Dietetics Association - What Do You Do When Your Weight Hits a Plateau? Sound Advice from the Nutrition Experts at the American Dietetic Association

Check out this page for more information.

May 18, 2005 23:35 - Can low carb dieters eat all they want, and still lose weight?

Generally, I do not support low carb diets, because research has failed to show that low carb diets can produce long term weight loss and also can put undue strain on the kidneys.

However, I found this article interesting and thought that everyone might like to comment on it. It was written by Tanya Zilberter, PhD who is a researcher, health educator, exercise physiologist, and scientific journalist.

Can low carb dieters eat all they want, and still lose weight?

"The Atkins Nutritional Approach counts grams of carbohydrates instead of calories... If you are losing weight, there is no need to concern yourself with counting calories. "

Source: atkins.com

You might be doubtful and chances are that mainstream diets are the reason. Of course you couldn't avoid opinions like the below Q&A posted by Health Care Reality Check: (Read Article)

May 20, 2005 23:31 - Is there any substance to the notion that calcium can help in losing weight?

Karen Collins RD seems to think that there may be some evidence to support this. She comments when asked if calcium help's people lose weight, that some studies are suggesting that ensuring that calcium intake is sufficient may affect hormones which then "increase fat burning and decrease fat storage".

She comments that calcium by itself will not have an effect on weight loss but could be useful when used within a calorie controlled diet and exercise plan.

Some of the research associated with the calcium-weight loss link follows.

Michael B. Zemel*, Warren Thompson{dagger}, Anita Milstead*, Kristin Morris* and Peter Campbell* Calcium and Dairy Acceleration of Weight and Fat Loss during Energy Restriction in Obese Adults Obesity Research 12:582-590 (2004)

Researchers found that dietary calcium increases fat loss in mice. When they observed 32 obese human subjects aged between 18 to 60 years of age, on balanced diets creating a 500 kcal energy deficit over 24 weeks, they found very positive results. Researchers found that the subjects who were simply given a standard diet, which included consumption of foods containing 400 - 500 mg calcium lost 2.5% of their body weight. Subjects that received a high calcium diet which included calcium supplementation of 800 mg per day lost 26% of their body weight. Subjects who received a high dairy diet, though, lost a whopping 70% of their body weight. These subjects received 1200 to 1300 mg of dietary calcium. Researchers also noted that the supplementation also increased the amount of fat lost from the trunk region of the body. However, the high dairy diet exhibited the most notable weight loss effect.

While this research links a high dairy diet with weight loss, and getting enough calcium in your diet is an essential component of healthy eating habits, I would like to caution readers again about altering their individual diets, on the basis of generic information.

Please see your registered dietitian or medical professional before deciding to increase your intake of dairy. They will advise you whether or not you would benefit as an individual from increased dairy consumption.

Further research associated with calcium and weight loss will follow. Never make conclusions about a topic on the basis of the findings of one study.

Sources: Nutrition-Wise: Calcium Help Lose Weight, Tuna, Wheat Crackers or Whole-Wheat Bread

Check out this page for more information.

May 23, 2005 10:47 - Calcium Intake Shows A Negative Association With Weight

I thought I'd post more research on the connection between calcium and weight loss. This article published by the Osteoporosis Research Center in Nebraska in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reviewed five other studies looking at calcium and weight loss.

K. Michael Davies, Robert P. Heaney, Robert R. Recker, Joan M. Lappe, M. Janet Barger-Lux, Karen Rafferty and Sharilyn Hinders Calcium Intake and Body Weight1 Published in 2000 The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 85, No. 12 4635-4638

Unfortunately four of the studies were only observational. However, the other study was a double-blind, placebo controlled and randomized study. These generally give more objective results in a study. This study assessed change in weight as a function of calcium intake. The study showed that there were significant negative associations between calcium intake and weight. That is the higher the calcium intake the lower weight tended to be.

The authors state that relative to the placebo, those who received the calcium exhibited weight loss over a four year observation and that calcium intake explains approximately 3% of the variance in body weight.



The next study I will discuss tomorrow was conducted by the Creighton University at Nebraska Titled Calcium and Weight: Clinical Studies.


Check out this page for more information.

May 24, 2005 22:14 - Calcium consumption has significant relationship to body weight.

As promised the next study to be posted is that published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2002.

This review also looked at observational studies, however did look at three controlled studies looking into the relationship of calcium intake to body weight. The review was sparked by Zemel's paper published in 2000, Regulation of Adiposity by Dietary Calcium where his team found evidence that intracellular calcium may modulate energy metabolism and therefore have an indirect relationship with the risk of becoming overweight or obese. View a graphical representation of the effect of two cups of yogurt here on body weight. See also, Zemel's more recent work, in an earlier post.

Robert P. Heaney, MD, K. Michael Davies, PhD and M. Janet Barger-Lux Calcium and Weight: Clinical Studies Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 21, No. 2, 152S-155S (2002)

Interestingly, the review noted that both individuals in their midlife years and children responded with lower body weights when calcium intakes were heightened and that with every 300 mg of calcium consumed over a long period of time was associated with 1 kg less body fat in children and 2.5 to 3 kg in body weight in adults.

Wow amazing stuff.

However, as a personal comment, getting enough calcium, is not a new health issue. It has been known for years that it is necessary for a healthy body. As a consumer, what do you feel has stopped you from getting enough calcium in the past?

If you're a dietitian reading this, what do you feel stands in the way of both men and women getting enough calcium?

Is it just a symptom of our lifestyles, processed meals, inadequate nutrient intake and excessive energy intake?

May 26, 2005 20:42 - Organic Food - Is It Healthier?

This article was first published in our newsletter a couple of days ago.

In this issue, we discuss organic food and whether or not it is worth spending the extra $$$$ to purchase the organically grown alternatives. Although this subject does not specifically have a bearing on weight loss per se, it does have a bearing on an individual's overall health, which I believe is central to long term weight loss.

Organic Food - Is It Healthier? I will attempt to look at the evidence available to find out whether the level of chemical residues found on organic and commercially grown food are significantly different. I will also look at whether or not there are more nutrients in 'organically' grown food.  Click here to read the article.

May 31, 2005 21:39 - Balancing Your Diet Within A Calorie Controlled Diet

Reducing the amount of calories you take in to create an energy deficit, that is expending more energy than you take in, is the traditional method used to induce weight loss.

However reducing calories only with no thought to what kinds of foods make up the calories that you do consume is, as many of you know, not the right way to go about it.

To achieve a healthy balanced diet while you're dieting, you need to make sure that you're getting around 50 - 60% carbohydrates, 25 - 30% fats, and between 15 - 25% protein - based on a 1800 Kcal diet.

But how do you work out if you're eating the right proportions of these macro-nutrients?

If you're like me and you really want to be precise - you get down and dirty, and search on the foods you eat at NutritionData. However, if you're not like me, and you just want to lose weight, without the fuss, the answer lies, basically in following the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If you reliably eat according to their recommendations, these proportions of macro-nutrient dietary intake will be achieved almost automatically.

Often, individuals feel that they're eating a balanced diet, only to realize that their diet is in fact lop-sided towards one particular nutrient or macro-nutrient. This may mean that the body is not getting its fair share of vital vitamins and minerals which help to carry out the body's normal processes.

So I'd like to challenge you to challenge your own diet - do a stock take over the next day or so.

Based on a 1400 Kcal diet:

Are you eating 1.5 cups of vegetables per day and 1.5 cups of fruit?

Do you think that you're getting 5 oz or 155 g of grains, cereals and breads, and are atleast half of these whole grains?

Would you be consuming 4 oz or 125 g of meat and beans?

What about 2 cups of milk, yogurt or cheese?

Also don't forget the fat, include 2 tspns of oil, but make it polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated, with the least amount possible of saturated and trans fatty acids included.

So how did you go? Did you find that you're eating the right proportions of foods or was there a gap somewhere?