The Food “Pyramid”
Changes Over the Last Century
1916: Food For Young Children
• USDA first food guide
• Food classified into five groups:• Cereals• Veggies and
Fruits• Milk and
Meat• Fats and
Fatty Foods• Sugars and
Sugary Foods
1917: How To Select Foods
• Came out one year later
• Expanded the food guide into a 14 page pamphlet
1943: The Basic Seven• Suggested
number of servings per food group
• Did not include serving sizes
• Included seven food groups• milk and milk
products• meat, poultry, fish,
eggs, beans, peas and nuts
• bread, flour and cereals
• leafy green and yellow vegetables
• potatoes and sweet potatoes
• citrus, tomato, cabbage and salad greens
• butter and margarine
1956: The Basic Four
• Simplified the “Basic Seven”
• Included serving sizes in four food groups• Milk• Meat• Veggies and
Fruits• Grain
1979: Hassle-Free Guide To A Better Diet
• Kept the “Basic Four”
• Added moderate consumption of an additional group: Fats, sweets, and alcohol
1984: Food Wheel – A Pattern For Daily Food Choices
• A collaboration of the USDA and the Red Cross
• Included amounts of foods for three different calorie levels
1992: Food Guide Pyramid• The one most
people remember
• Split the servings into proportions of a pyramid
• What could be some problems with this model?
2005: MyPyramid Food Guidance System
• Simplified the food pyramid
• Added a band for oils
• Includes representation of physical activity
• What are some advantages and disadvantages for this model?
2011: MyPlate• Iconic food
guide easier to measure servings for each group
• Emphasizes five food groups:• Grains• Fruits• Veggies• Protein (not
meats)• Dairy (not
milk)
• What are the major changes between this model and the MyPyramid model? Why were these changes made?
How does this relate to Visual Rhetoric? The food guide has changed to fit the
purposes of nutrition today Healthy eating and exercise are emphasized
today MyPlate is available online as a “nutrition
tracker” to fit with the advancements in technology
The “Basic Seven” are no longer appropriate for the purposes of nutrition today
MyPlate offers more of an appeal to the eye than the data and facts listed in earlier food guides
How does this help me understand Visual Rhetoric? Certain visuals are inappropriate for
certain purposes (The “Basic Seven” are not appropriate for today’s nutrition standards)
Make sure your visuals fit your purpose There are good visuals and appropriate
visuals…Use the latter!