Originally published October 5 2005
USDA hopes to educate school children about nutrition with new kid-friendly food pyramid
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Aimed at kids aged six to 11, the USDA's MyPyramid For Kids urges kids to eat fruits, grains, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, and to get lots of exercise, but surprisingly, the pyramid does not set a definite limit on sugar from candy and soda.
The kid-friendly icon replaces an adult figure scaling the pyramid with a drawing of a young girl bounding up the stairs, while children bicycle, skateboard, bend, stretch and play ball all around.
Tips for families include suggestions to "Vary your veggies," "Focus on fruits" and "Go lean with protein."
But critics said that considering the rising rates of obesity among Americans - and rising ranks of overweight children - the department's approach was weak-kneed.
"I don't think the word soda pop is mentioned anywhere in these materials, even though it's the No. 1 source of calories for Americans."
"We should tell kids that a can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar," he said.
"It's got to be a hard-hitting message to have an impact, and the government should be buying air time to get that message in front of kids as often as McDonald's and General Mills do."
But Eric Bost, Agriculture Department undersecretary for food and consumer services, responded by saying as long as foods are eaten in moderation, no food should be completely nixed, and it is important to convey a positive message.
"I think you need to start with what you should eat as opposed to what you shouldn't eat," Bost said in a brief phone interview.
Children who play MyPyramid Blast Off are supposed to choose from a variety of food groups and take care not to overload the fuel tank if they want to reach "Planet Power."
But Nestle said when she played, she was able to satisfy daily fruit requirements with frozen juice bars.
For breakfast, she selected pancakes, a sugary cereal, sausage, a fruit drink, reduced-fat milk and bacon, and was only cautioned about her selections when she added a second serving of bacon that brought her breakfast calories to 1,400.
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