Are You Eating The Right Food?

New website gives advice on proper diet for Americans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week unveiled MyPyramid..com, a new
symbol and online interactive food guidance system. "Steps to a Healthier
You," MyPyramid's central message, supports President Bush's HealthierUS
initiative which is designed to help Americans live longer, better and
healthier lives. MyPyramid, which replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced
in 1992, is part of an overall food guidance system that emphasizes the need
for a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle.

MyPyramid incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, which was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in January. The Dietary
Guidelines for Americans provide authoritative advice for people two years
of age and older about how proper dietary habits can promote health and
reduce the risk of major chronic diseases. 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 MyPyramid symbol, which is deliberately simple, is meant to encourage
consumers to make healthier food choices and to be active every day.
Consumers can get more in-depth information from the new Web site,
MyPyramid.gov, so that they can make these choices to fit their own needs.