More than 64 percent of Americans are now obese, according the to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But Tuesday's online release of a new and interactive Food Guide Pyramid may help turn this trend around.
Released by the Agriculture Department, the pyramid outlines 12 specific versions tailored to individual's health needs based on gender, age and physical activity.
Included in the new design are vertical bands of daily recommendations, with each food group color-coded and proportioned by width.
An orange band represents grains, green for vegetables, red for fruits, yellow for fats, sugars and salts, blue for milk and dairy products and purple for meats and beans.
Meats and grains compose the largest portions of the pyramid.
The new symbol also incorporates a figure climbing stairs, an element absent from the previous pyramid. The climber represents the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
According to the guide, 30 to 60 minutes of exercise is necessary to maintain weight, and 90 minutes is necessary for weight loss.
According to the USDA, "MyPyramid" was developed to "carry the messages of the dietary guidelines and to make Americans aware of the vital health benefits of simple and modest improvements in nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle behavior."
The change in appearance should make understanding the guidelines much easier, according to Jacqueline DeFouw, University of Memphis health educator.
"The previous guide was focused on servings," she said. "But people didn't understand what a serving was ... people would eat a 21-ounce steak and think it would (satisfy) a serving."
Now, serving sizes are designated by measurements, like cups and ounces, which makes healthy portions easier to calculate.
"If you just look at the old pyramid, it would say 'three servings," but you just don't know how much that is," said Kristin Finamore, a graduate student studying nutrition. "A serving size was never designated."
Though the new guideline has its benefits, the measurement technique could cause some confusion, DeFouw said.
"If I eat an apple, how much does that count," she said. "Things like canned fruits and vegetables would be easier to count."
Students can access the new pyramid at mypyramid.gov.
Personalized tips and menus are also available on the site based on the information provided by the individual. Typical mixed dishes, like macaroni and cheese, pizza and lasagna, are also charted to give an idea of how to calculate each of the food groups included in similar dishes.
The USDA said that site will soon include features that make it possible for consumers to make specific food choices by group, look at everyday portions of favorite foods and adjust their choices to meet their daily needs.
