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Home , Food pyramid (nutrition)

The Food Pyramid Tutor’s Handbook

The Food Pyramid Food Pyramids as we Age The US Department of Agriculture have Different Food Pyramids published a food pyramid specifically for We are all familiar with the food pyramid for children, to make it easier for children to our western . It is a graphical understand the pyramid, and to also representation – shaped like a pyramid – of provide some guidance to parents and the different food groups. Those at the care-givers about some of the essential bottom of the pyramid – like and and oils that children need, as well as – are the foods that we should giving some recommendations for the have the most of each day, and those at the amount of exercise children should be top of the pyramid – like sweets and junk getting each day to be healthy and to food – should be eaten sparingly. maintain a healthy weight.

We have each grown up with this model of The food pyramid for children contains six the food pyramid; however, where you stripes, which represent the five food aware that there are different food groups, as well as the fats and oils that pyramids out there for a range of different child should consume each day. Each purposes? colour represents a different .

There are food pyramids for people with • : Grains diabetes, which changes the normal food • Green: Vegetables pyramid guidelines to incorporate more • Red: • Blue: Dairy and -Rich food that lowers blood . There are Foods also food pyramids for children and for • Purple: adults over the age of 70, this is because • Yellow: Fats and Oils our nutritional needs change as we age. Furthermore, there are different food The width of the coloured stripe gives pyramids for specific diets that are followed children a visual understanding that more around the world, including: servings need to be eaten from one group, • Asian Diet Pyramid such as grains, while others specify a • Latin American Diet Pyramid smaller need, such as the fats • Pyramid and oils group. The stairs on the side of the pyramid represent the importance of This handbook will explore these different exercise for children, with a minimum food pyramids so that you can discuss recommendation of 30 minutes of these different resources with moderate exercise per day for young members of your local network.

children, and 60 minutes of exercise or that we see in Western countries. The physical activity recommended for older reason for this is that the Asian diet children, five times per week. To learn contains only a moderate amount of more about the recommendations for products, it is mostly plant based with children’s nutrition, visit: providing anywhere between 25 and 80% https://www.parents.com/recipes/nutrition/ of consumed each day on this diet. kids/updated-the-kids-food-pyramid/ This diet also includes a wide variety of different foods which have their own health While the majority of the adult population benefits. The following guidelines are can follow the mainstream food pyramid, as provided for those who want to follow this we age, our nutritional needs change diet plan and reap the health benefits: slightly. To respond to this need, researchers have developed a specific • Daily servings of: Rice, Noodles, food pyramid which shows the different , Millet, Corn and other dietary and nutrition requirements of Whole Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, people over the age of 70. This food Legumes, , and Nuts, pyramid promotes smaller portions of fruit, • Optional daily servings of: Fish and vegetables, , breads, and Shellfish or Dairy grains, compared to the normal food • Weekly servings of: , Poultry, pyramid, an equal quantity of dairy and and Sweets eggs, and the inclusion of the need to • Monthly servings of: or Red consume 8 glasses of water each day as we get older. For more information on the • Drinks: Drink 6 glasses of water or recommendations published in the Journal tea every day to assure good of Nutrition, please visit: health. If you’re an adult, it’s OK to https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/129/3/ drink alcohol (sake, wine or beer), 751/4722151. A graphical comparison of as long as your alcohol intake is the mainstream and adapted food moderate and with . pyramids is also available at this link: • Exercise: Do some form of physical https://academic.oup.com/view- exercise every day, like Qigong or large/figure/112198950/4w0390289001.jp Tai Chi! eg Latin American Diet Pyramid Asian Diet Pyramid The Latin American Diet Pyramid

Tis diet Pyramid represents a , represents the healthy diet that is typical to with those who follow the Asian diet the region, where a lot of potatoes, experiencing low rates of chronic diseases and beans are grown. The diet is inexpensive to follow, and many of the

foods and meals can be quite easy to • Focus primarily on eating fresh prepare. As such, it is a good diet to adopt vegetables, fruits and whole grains if you are looking to try something new. with daily servings of dried beans,

To get you started, the following list nuts or seeds. Consume fresh provides some guidelines on how you can foods that are in season where follow the Latin American Diet Pyramid: possible. • Eat fish regularly and only small • Several servings a day of fruits, amounts of red meat and poultry. vegetables, whole grains, tubers, • Use garlic, onion and to , beans and nuts your food and reduce the salt. • Daily servings of poultry, fish & • Use olive oil as your main source of shellfish, plant oils, dairy , instead of butter or . • Once a week you can have some • Instead of having high-fat, high- red meat, eggs and sweets desserts and bakery • Drink 6 glasses of water every day products, when you want to assure good health. something sweet, instead choose • If you’re an adult, it’s ok to drink fruits. alcohol, as long as your alcohol • Adapt to the Mediterranean values intake is moderate and with meals. of socialising with friends and family • Do some form of exercise every when eating – take your time and day! Here they recommend trying enjoy your food. salsa dancing, play some soccer, • Maintain regular exercise but try clean up your house or go for a daily walks and exercises that are walk. not too strenuous on your heart – a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid daily walk can go a long way! If you want to live a long and healthy life, free from chronic disease and with a How to use this Resource with your Local Health Group? healthy heart, then you should follow the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Food This handbook presents some introductory scientists and doctors have been studying information on different food pyramids that this diet for many years and have observed represent different diets to the one we these health benefits as being directly typically follow in Western Society. All of linked to the fresh foods that are consumed these diet pyramids present healthy as part of this diet. In following this diet, you alternatives to our often-unhealthy food should remind those in your group of the choices. However, some in your group following key points: may never have heard of them! The aim of

this resource is to raise awareness among Next lead a group discussion on how people in your group of the different diet people in the group use the food pyramid plans that are available to them; and also, for planning. Reflecting on the slides to highlight some of the benefits of each presented on the Asian Diet, the Latin diet pyramid for their overall health and American Diet and the Mediterranean Diet, feeling of well-being. ask people in your local health network to work in twos or smaller groups and to plan To accompany this handbook, you will also a full day’s meals based on one of these find a short PowerPoint presentation that diets. Once all daily meals are planned, can be used with your local health network each pair can share their meal plan with the to introduce some of these different food rest of the network, and group members pyramids. This presentation gives some of can give feedback on each of their efforts. the basic information that is included in this handbook. To use this resource with your local group, we recommend that you first play the short video lecture, talk through the PowerPoint slides given and the lead a group discussion on the topic of diets. Some hints for questions are included below.

Group Activity

Once you have shared the digital resource and the PowerPoint presentation with your group members, you can start a group discussion about different food pyramids. For this, ask people to discuss the different food pyramids presented, by asking: • Where you aware of these different food pyramids? • Have you ever considered following a different diet? • Which is most manageable for you? • Have you ever considered changing your family’s food based on their age and different nutritional requirements? If so, how?