Modified versions
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) familiar Food
Guide Pyramid that address the unique nutritional needs of children
and of the elderly have been released, one by the Federal Government
and one by university-based researchers.
In March, the USDA released the new Food Guide Pyramid for Young
Children ages 2 to 6. The new pyramid, an adaptation of the original
Food Guide Pyramid, was developed to help both parents and children
improve the eating habits of young children. The food groups are
the same as in the original pyramid; however, the new serving
sizes for young children are at the lower end of the original
recommendations.
The USDA recommends that children 2 to 6 eat 2 servings from the
milk, yogurt, and cheese group (rather than 2 to 3); 2 servings
from the meat, poultry, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group (rather
than 2 to 3); 3 servings from the vegetable group (rather than
3 to 5); 2 servings from the fruit group (rather than 2 to 4);
and 6 servings from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group (rather
than 6 to 11). Shirley Watkins, USDA Under Secretary for Food,
Nutrition, and Consumer Services, urged parents to set a good
example: “If your children see you eating a variety of nutritious
foods, they will be more likely to want to eat them too.”
The USDA Children’s
Pyramid also emphasizes being physically active, and is illustrated
with children playing vigorously.
People age
70 and over should also follow slightly different guidelines for
healthy eating, according to Robert M. Russell, M.D., of the USDA
Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
In an article in the March 1999 issue of the Journal of Nutrition,
Russell et al. contend that older people are often less active
and require fewer calories to maintain energy. While the standard
Food Guide Pyramid is based on a diet that includes at least 1,600
calories per day, the recommendations for older people are based
on an eating plan of 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day. Accordingly,
Russell’s suggested pyramid (which has not been endorsed
by the Federal Government) recommends keeping the number of servings
low—2 servings of meat, poultry, dry beans, eggs, or nuts;
3 of vegetables; 2 of fruits; and 6 of bread, cereal, rice, and
pasta.
The new 70+ pyramid still recommends 2 to 3 servings from the
milk, yogurt, and cheese group and reiterates the recommendation
to use fats, oils, and sweets sparingly. It also stresses the
importance of drinking water, with 8 servings of water per day
recommended, added to the bottom of the pyramid. At the top of
the pyramid, Russell et al. recommend supplements of calcium,
vitamin D, and vitamin B12.
For more information on the Food Guide Pyramid for children, a
16-page booklet, “Tips for Using the Food Guide Pyramid for
Young Children 2 to 6 Years Old,” is available to the public
on USDA’s website (http://www.usda.gov/cnpp)
or by calling the Government Printing Office at (202) 512-1800
and asking for stock number 001-00004665-9.
For more information on food guidelines for the elderly, contact
the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University,
711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111-1525; phone: (617) 556-3335;
Web: http://www.hnrc.tufts.edu.
The Journal of Nutrition is published by the American Society
for Nutritional Sciences, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814;
phone: (301) 530-7050; Web: http://www.nutrition.org.
Highlights
of CNRU and ONRC Research Available
The National
Institutes of Health-funded Clinical Nutrition Research Units
(CNRU) and Obesity/Nutrition Research Centers (ONRC) have made
significant advances in the areas of obesity and clinical nutrition
research in the past year. Highlights of each center’s scientific
advances as well as a review of specific accomplishments, pilot
and feasibility studies, and educational activities are now accessible
through the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK) website at http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/cnruon.htm.
The ONRCs
are part of a core center grant program established by NIDDK to
advance obesity and nutrition research. The CNRUs are part of
the program established by NIDDK and the National Cancer Institute
to bring together basic science and clinical investigators in
a manner that enriches the effectiveness of nutrition research.
