Daily News Editorial: Michelle Obama's MyPlate a great replacement for the food pyramid

MOST change occurs to improve upon an established idea or practice - one that over time has been rendered ineffective. Think of pay phones. They were all the rage before cellphones came along and provided greater convenience, making pay phones nearly obsolete.

By contrast, the U.S. Agriculture Department's food pyramid was ineffective from the start. The only surprise is that it took nearly 20 years for the complicated nutrition guide to receive a much-needed makeover.

Joined by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, last week first lady Michelle Obama unveiled MyPlate - the replacement for the rigid pyramid. The simpler nutritional guide is anchored by the image of a plate, which depicts the recommended mealtime servings of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. In addition, a circle suggests an accompanying glass of milk to serve as the meal's serving of dairy.

Perhaps its greatest accomplishment, the logo clearly showcases fruits and vegetables as making up half a recommended meal.

But what's change without critique? Critics have pointed to the fact that MyPlate's graphic lacks a depiction of sugars, fats and oils, which compose a great deal of a person's daily caloric intake. And since this illustration will grace the walls of classrooms nationwide, its absence could be detrimental to

the learning process.

To really embrace MyPlate's fat and oil abstaining illustration, one must revisit its predecessor: The Food Guide Pyramid. Consumers were first introduced to the overly scientific, pictorially disconnected guide in 1992.

The pyramid did cover all its basis with a visualization of fats and sugars in each of its five food groups. However, consumers had a hard time understanding the pyramid construction, which placed food groups with larger serving sizes at its base and graduated to smaller food groups at its peak.

In the end, the pyramid left most people confused - so confused that they probably weren't accounting for the fats and oils critics are so perturbed were left out the new guide anyway.

Those in need of a more comprehensive look at the MyPlate food guide can visit choosemyplate.gov. The website includes detailed food plans and additional resources.

The Agriculture Department's choice of a more conceptual diagram was the right one. Visually, it makes sense on a classroom wall, and it's simple enough to serve as a a dietary reminder for adults.

So the plate logo omits sugars, fats and oils. If it can get children to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables, that's an achievement we just can't pass up.

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A Los Angeles Daily News editorial. To read more editorials from the Daily News, go to www.dailynews.com/opinions.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18233591?source=rss

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