Children now have their own food pyramid. It’s designed to be a kid-friendly version of the adult guide revised and updated earlier this year by the USDA.
With the new MyPyramid for Kids, the goal is to educate children 6 to 11 years old about eating right and staying fit. The new graphic symbol (more cartoonish than the guide for grown-ups) is part of a larger effort that includes classroom lesson plans for grades 1 through 6 and a spaceship-themed computer game called “Blast Off” designed to help kids pick the right “fuel” to reach Planet Power.
All of the materials are intended to help combat the problem of obesity among children, which has tripled in the past 30 years. (USDA officials are promoting the new initiative this week during National School Lunch Week.)
“If it looks like something intended for adults, then children are likely to tune out,” said Eric Hentges, executive director of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, who helped unveil the new kid-focused campaign. “If children can recognize themselves, then all the better.”
Written in age-appropriate language, the kids’ pyramid emphasizes the same basic messages as the adult version: Be physically active every day and eat more of some foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy) and less of others (such as fatty fried foods, sweets and sugary beverages).
Some experts are praising the new program, particularly the interactive online game that they hope will entice children to learn more about food and physical activity.
“This makes nutrition fun for the entire family,” said dietitian Dee Sandquist, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, who said the program will encourage families to explore better options together.
But the kids’ pyramid also drew criticism for not being tough enough–failing to focus on what kids should avoid.
“It’s another step in the right direction, but we need to keep stepping,” said David Satcher, former U.S. surgeon general and founding chairman of Action for Healthy Kids, a non-profit group charged with changing the school environment to battle obesity.
Satcher said the new lesson plans will be valuable tools for teachers, but action needs to happen beyond the classroom.
“Schools need to be models of good nutrition,” he said, calling for changes in the cafeteria and in hallway vending machines, which are frequently stocked with soft drinks and sweets. Satcher wants to see school vending machines filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and bottled water instead–a change that is being mandated in some states.
Connie Mueller, a spokeswoman for the School Nutrition Association, said that schools are working hard to revamp lunch menus to adhere to dietary guidelines. They are offering more fruits and vegetables, incorporating lower-fat entrees on the menu and switching to whole-grain breads, buns and pizza crusts.
Mueller, who oversees food and nutrition services for the Bloomington school district, said school lunch is practically the only place children learn about proper portion sizes, which are often too hefty at home and in restaurants.
Today’s super-sized portions do encourage youngsters to eat too much, but waiting until school to teach the basics of good nutrition is too late, according to Allan Walker, a professor of nutrition and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and author of “Eat, Play and Be Healthy.”
“You can make all the beautiful pyramids you want, but it doesn’t begin to solve the problem,” he said. “Taste and habits are acquired in the first few years of life, when parents have much more control.”
Be forceful when your kids are toddlers, he said. You can help shape your child’s food preferences by the choices you provide.
Teaching by example may be the most powerful influence of all, according to dietitian and mother-of-three Elizabeth Ward, author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Feeding your Baby and Toddler” and “The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids” (due out in January).
“Good nutrition starts at home in your own kitchen,” she said.
Ward said the new materials were easy-to-use and “great tools for kids,” but she was hoping for more detailed advice for parents who simply want to know what to feed their children.
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Building your child’s pyramid
MyPyramid for Kids speaks to children in their own language about what they need to do to eat right and be active. Here’s a guide to help you set goals for your children. The food group servings are based on 1,800 calories–the average amount needed for children ages 6 to 11 years (younger children may need less and older children more). Balance what they eat with how much they move; encourage at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
FOOD GROUP: Grains
DAILY GOAL: 6 ounces (1 ounce = 1 slice bread, 1 cup dry cereal, 1/2 cup rice or pasta)
TIPS: Make at least half the grains whole grains–such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice.
FOOD GROUP: Vegetables
DAILY GOAL: 2 1/2 cups
TIPS: Offer a variety of colors, particularly dark green and deep orange: spinach, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes.
FOOD GROUP: Fruits
DAILY GOAL: 1 1/2 cups
TIPS: Serve more whole fruits instead of juice; choose only 100% juice.
FOOD GROUP: Milk
DAILY GOAL: 3 cups* (1 cup milk = 1 cup yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces cheese)
TIPS: Buy low-fat or fat-free most often. Serve at meals or at snack time.
*2 cups for children 2-8 years
FOOD GROUP: Meat & beans
DAILY GOAL: 5 ounces (1 ounce = 1 ounce meat, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1/2 ounce nuts, 1/4 cup dry beans)
TIPS: Choose lean meats and vary the options– more fish (not fried), beans and nuts.
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Helping Junior scale the pyramid
– Reinforce positive behaviors. Work with your child to pick out a goal for the week, such as trying a new food or activity, said dietitian Dee Sandquist. “If your child sets the goal, she’ll be more likely to accomplish it and follow through.”
– Go slow. Focus on progress, not perfection, said dietitian and nutrition-book author Elizabeth Ward. She suggests taking small steps so no one feels overwhelmed. Eventually, it’s “just the way your family lives,” she said.
– Adopt new approaches. If your kids only want french fries (which tops the list of all veggies kids eat), try new ways to help them branch out. Ward recommended sneaking more vegetables into soups and casseroles.
– Count up the calcium. Too often kids fall short, so be sure they have a low-fat dairy serving at each meal. Start off the day with cereal and milk or a yogurt parfait with fruit, add a carton of low-fat chocolate milk at lunch, and let kids sprinkle cheese on cooked vegetables at dinner.
– For more guidelines, go to mypyramid.gov. Also, try the Blast Off game with your children. (We played it and found it pretty fun.)
— J.H.
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Helm is a dietitian and nutrition consultant.
