By Alison McCook
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite the recent backlash against the government-issued food pyramid, this nutritional tool is not responsible for causing the current obesity epidemic in the U.S., according to researchers.
Recently, some experts have said that the pyramid oversimplifies the food groups and stresses such food as bread and pasta at the expense of more proteins and unsaturated fats. This heavy reliance on carbohydrates and fear of all fats has left the nation seriously overweight, they argue.
However, in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Dr. Jeanne P. Goldberg and her colleagues note that most Americans do not follow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food guide pyramid, so it cannot be blamed for the average adult's excess pounds.
"I only wish the pyramid were powerful enough to have an influence on the American diet," Goldberg told Reuters Health. "Because if it did, we would be eating extremely well."
First released in 1992, the latest edition of the pyramid recommends that Americans eat 6 to 11 servings of carbohydrates a day, or the equivalent of 6 to 11 slices of bread. It suggests that people eat between 2 and 4 servings of fruit, between 3 and 5 servings of vegetables, 2 to 3 servings of meat and other protein sources, and up to three daily servings of dairy products.
The pyramid also combines fats, oils and sweets in one group and recommends they be eaten in small amounts.
Although the pyramid has become one of the most recognized sources of nutrition information in the U.S., very few Americans actually abide by its recommendations, Goldberg and her colleagues argue.
For instance, Americans eat nearly three times more than the recommended amount of added sugar, and consume around 300 more calories each day than they did 20 years ago.
Among other shortfalls, only 28 percent of men eat the recommended amount of fruit, and only 16 percent of women are eating enough dairy. Around three-quarters of teenaged girls are not meeting the pyramid's requirements for fruit, dairy and meat.
In an interview, Goldberg, who is based at Tufts University in Boston, acknowledged that the pyramid is certainly not perfect. For instance, it does not stress the benefits of whole grains over refined grains.
However, the obesity crisis is a result of many different factors, she added, and addressing it will involve much more than adding a few details to the USDA pyramid.
Important steps include preventing obesity in young children, creating incentives for healthier choices, encouraging physical activity and changing portion sizes, she said.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2004.