In this month’s profile on the Produce Marketing Association, the US trade association for fruit and vegetables, there has been a mixed reaction to the USDA’s introduction of a new food guidance system, MyPyramid “Steps to a Healthier You”.

Fruit and vegetables are the centerpiece of the US Department of Agriculture’s new food guidance system, that will be used to help the US public understand and use the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The aim is to encourage US consumers, through education, to make healthier choices among the foods they eat, including consumption of larger amounts of fruit and vegetables.

The system, MyPyramid “Steps to a Healthier You,” illustrates the importance of fruit and vegetables in the diet by using two of the six colour bands. “This is great,” said Kathy Means, vice president of government relations for the Produce Marketing Association.

“In our comments to USDA, we stressed that produce had to be featured prominently in any dietary guidance graphic, and we’re thrilled to see that happen. It’s important that we use the version of the graphic that includes the depiction of fruit and vegetables in addition to the colour bands so that consumers quickly grasp what they’re supposed to do. The graphic without the food depictions is less clear about the actions consumers should take.”

The new system expresses daily intake amounts in volume measures (a cup or half a cup). “We commend USDA for using language that clearly conveys the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables. This speaks to consumers in their own language and helps them understand exactly how much produce they should be eating each day,” Means said.

MyPyramid “Steps to a Healthier You” replaces the Food Guide Pyramid, which was developed in 1992. The new graphic emphasises proportionality by varying the width of the bands, made especially clear by the narrow width of the “oils” band. Vegetables are green and fruits are red. “Again, produce comes out the winner when you look at the width of the green and red bands combined. We are one-third of the new pyramid,” said Means. “We’re certainly hopeful that the government will use its extensive communications power to get the word out and industry can do its part, too.”

Educational tools will include mini-posters, which will be distributed to health authorities. “This is a great tool that highlights our industry’s products and has the science-based credibility of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Now we need to translate awareness and education into behaviour for the health of the country and the health of our industry.”

Industry reaction of the new graphic has been mixed, but according to a poll by Opinion Dynamics Corporation, initial efforts to publicise MyPyramid have reached 40 per cent of the public, although the numbers are smaller among some important subgroups of the population.

Forty-four per cent of those over the age of 55 have seen the new design, compared with 28 per cent of those between the ages of 18 and 29, while 37 per cent between the ages of 30 and 45 and 41 per cent between the ages of 46 and 54 have seen it. Approximately half of those with household incomes over $75,000 a year have seen the new design, compared with 36 per cent of those with household incomes below $75,000 per year.

Only 29 per cent of minorities have seen the new design, compared with 42 per cent of other residents.

In regard to general usefulness of the new pyramid, 28 per cent of those who have seen the new design say it is more useful than the old design, 14 per cent say it is less useful, and 46 per cent say it is about the same (11 per cent are unsure).