Five months after the United States Department of Agriculture presented the food pyramid for adults to the public, it launched a new food pyramid and nutritional guidelines for children 6 to 11 years.
But even though the new recommendations include diets with more veggies, fewer fries and less sedentary lives, some consumer groups continue to consider that taxpayer dollars would be better allocated to an effective mass media campaign promoting healthier lifestyles and forcing schools to eliminate empty-calorie foods such as sodas, candy and chips.
Child obesity is a very serious problem that affects around 16 percent of children in the United States, according to the CDC. Conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, asthma, cancer, arthritis and cardiovascular disease are on the rise and have become a public health priority.
Across the country, community organizations strive to address the obesity epidemic, as is the case with the Health Promotion Coalition of Collier County. With a holistic approach, the coalition has promoted the USDA recommendations and organized activities that increase public awareness, including monthly workshops to educate coalition members and community leaders, broaden its scope and make resources available to the community. The coalition has understood the important role that schools play in fighting obesity and has collaborated with the school district to encourage healthy eating and active living.
In the past few decades junk food eating has significantly increased, according to Dr. Robert Osgoodby, quoted by Dr. Lynn Hardy's article Body Pollution. In 2001, the average American consumed 45 large bags of potato chips; 120 orders of French fries; 190 candy bars, and 150 slices of pizza per year. In only 20 years, the consumption of junk food has nearly or more than doubled. The problem is junk food provides a large amount of calories and has very little nutritional value (www. Gifam.org).
The pyramid's recommendations for kids, not very different from the adult pyramid, are expected to educate the public and change nutritional habits. The new pyramid uses kid-friendly images depicting each of the six major food groups and encouraging exercise.
With a poster with the pyramid graphic, the USDA has launched a set of materials for kids including an Internet game designed to promote healthy eating, a coloring page, a worksheet to help kids keep track of their food choices and see if they match with the pyramid's recommendations, and materials to be used in the classroom.
But, according to Michael F. Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), "Even if MyPyramid for Kids were terrific, there's no strategy to put materials in every classroom in America they're actually only making them available upon request." He also expressed his concerns about how MyPyramid for Kids doesn't discourage children from consuming sodas, fast food, candy and other junk foods. (www.cspinet.org)
The USDA sustains that the program is designed to increase kids' physical activity and encourages them to eat more foods that are nutritious.
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