MyPyramid for Kids welcomed by produce industry
MyPyramid for Kids welcomed by produce industry
WASHINGTON -- The produce industry hailed the new food pyramid's children-only version as a great opportunity for promoting children's health, but warned against complacency in selling a healthy diet to kids.
"With most children eating less than half the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's release of MyPyramid for Kids is a positive step toward promoting children's health and fighting childhood obesity," said Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.
"But for this program to succeed, it must now be met with strong action by government and education leaders to increase funding for effective health and physical education campaigns, step up efforts to increase availability of fruits and vegetables in schools, and limit the barrage of junk food advertising targeting children, she added.
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns unveiled the graphic symbol and the new computer-based interactive game, MyPyramid Blast Off, at Samuel Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria, VA. We know that MyPyramid captured America's attention, and our hope is that MyPyramid for Kids will inspire the same level of interest and help to improve the health of America's kids, he said.
MyPyramid for Kids incorporates the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and stresses the importance of daily physical activity. Through an interactive game, lesson plans, colorful posters and flyers, worksheets, and tips for families, the new program encourages children, teachers and parents to work together to make healthier food choices and be active every day.
The interactive computer game involves a rocket that needs fuel to blast off. The game reinforces the important concepts of MyPyramid for Kids by challenging students to select a healthy variety of foods and physical activities to fuel their rockets.
Food processors hailed the new graphic as a creative way to make nutrition education fun. "MyPyramid for Kids can help motivate children to put sound dietary messages into daily practice, said Food Products Association's Robert Earl.
"MyPyramid for Kids can help them understand that canned, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, as well as fruit juices and juice-containing beverages, can help them get the servings of fruits and vegetables they need, he said.
The produce industry hopes that the latest news will highlight the need for more fruits and vegetables in children's diets.
"Research shows that children simply aren't getting the amount of fruits and vegetables they need, and that on any given day, 25 percent of all infants and toddlers get no fruits and vegetables at all, said Dr. Pivonka. "The good news is that helping children reach dietary recommendations for fruits and vegetables is easier than some might think. For most four- to 14-year-olds, three to five cups of fruits and vegetables each day will meet the recommendations.
"Since fresh produce is a power player in the fight against obesity, any efforts to positively influence change and increase produce consumption for the next generation are welcomed by our industry, said Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association.
But at least one consumer group felt that USDA's new graphic falls short of meeting its goal. 'My Pyramid for Kids doesn't dare to discourage children from consuming so much soda, fast food, candy and other junk foods, said Center for Science in the Public Interest's Michael Jacobson. "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.
CSPI urged USDA to start aggressively promoting increased consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, to removing soda and junk foods from schools, to get junk-food ads off children's television, and to support legislation that would put calorie counts on fast-food menu boards.
Instead of relying solely on the Internet, the government should take to the airwaves, said the group.
"When McDonald's wants to reach kids, it turns to television advertising first and foremost, said CSPI's Dr. Jacobson. "If government is to improve kids' eating habits, it should invest hundreds of millions of dollars on television advertising promoting healthy diets. If such a campaign made even a dent in obesity or diet-related disease, it would be a windfall for American taxpayers.
In the meantime, the Grocery Manufacturers of America unveiled a new program to teach the new food pyramid in grades four through six. Developed by Weekly Reader Corp. Consumer & Custom Printing, the curriculum will be used by some 58,000 educators, who reach more than 4 million students.
"Since 1902, Weekly Reader has been a trusted educational resource for teachers in schools nationwide, said Alison Kretser, GMA's senior director of nutrition and regulatory policy. "It was a logical choice for us to work with such a well-recognized and credible organization to bring nutrition curriculum into the classroom.
"With most children eating less than half the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's release of MyPyramid for Kids is a positive step toward promoting children's health and fighting childhood obesity," said Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.
"But for this program to succeed, it must now be met with strong action by government and education leaders to increase funding for effective health and physical education campaigns, step up efforts to increase availability of fruits and vegetables in schools, and limit the barrage of junk food advertising targeting children, she added.
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns unveiled the graphic symbol and the new computer-based interactive game, MyPyramid Blast Off, at Samuel Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria, VA. We know that MyPyramid captured America's attention, and our hope is that MyPyramid for Kids will inspire the same level of interest and help to improve the health of America's kids, he said.
MyPyramid for Kids incorporates the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and stresses the importance of daily physical activity. Through an interactive game, lesson plans, colorful posters and flyers, worksheets, and tips for families, the new program encourages children, teachers and parents to work together to make healthier food choices and be active every day.
The interactive computer game involves a rocket that needs fuel to blast off. The game reinforces the important concepts of MyPyramid for Kids by challenging students to select a healthy variety of foods and physical activities to fuel their rockets.
Food processors hailed the new graphic as a creative way to make nutrition education fun. "MyPyramid for Kids can help motivate children to put sound dietary messages into daily practice, said Food Products Association's Robert Earl.
"MyPyramid for Kids can help them understand that canned, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, as well as fruit juices and juice-containing beverages, can help them get the servings of fruits and vegetables they need, he said.
The produce industry hopes that the latest news will highlight the need for more fruits and vegetables in children's diets.
"Research shows that children simply aren't getting the amount of fruits and vegetables they need, and that on any given day, 25 percent of all infants and toddlers get no fruits and vegetables at all, said Dr. Pivonka. "The good news is that helping children reach dietary recommendations for fruits and vegetables is easier than some might think. For most four- to 14-year-olds, three to five cups of fruits and vegetables each day will meet the recommendations.
"Since fresh produce is a power player in the fight against obesity, any efforts to positively influence change and increase produce consumption for the next generation are welcomed by our industry, said Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association.
But at least one consumer group felt that USDA's new graphic falls short of meeting its goal. 'My Pyramid for Kids doesn't dare to discourage children from consuming so much soda, fast food, candy and other junk foods, said Center for Science in the Public Interest's Michael Jacobson. "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.
CSPI urged USDA to start aggressively promoting increased consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, to removing soda and junk foods from schools, to get junk-food ads off children's television, and to support legislation that would put calorie counts on fast-food menu boards.
Instead of relying solely on the Internet, the government should take to the airwaves, said the group.
"When McDonald's wants to reach kids, it turns to television advertising first and foremost, said CSPI's Dr. Jacobson. "If government is to improve kids' eating habits, it should invest hundreds of millions of dollars on television advertising promoting healthy diets. If such a campaign made even a dent in obesity or diet-related disease, it would be a windfall for American taxpayers.
In the meantime, the Grocery Manufacturers of America unveiled a new program to teach the new food pyramid in grades four through six. Developed by Weekly Reader Corp. Consumer & Custom Printing, the curriculum will be used by some 58,000 educators, who reach more than 4 million students.
"Since 1902, Weekly Reader has been a trusted educational resource for teachers in schools nationwide, said Alison Kretser, GMA's senior director of nutrition and regulatory policy. "It was a logical choice for us to work with such a well-recognized and credible organization to bring nutrition curriculum into the classroom.
