News Release
April 27, 2005
USDA Under Secretary Hosts Unveiling Of New Food Guidance System "My Pyramid" At Swansea Elementary School On April 28, Highlights Colorado Fitness And Nutrition Activities
The USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services will visit Swansea Elementary School at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 28 to celebrate USDA's release of the new food guidance system, "MyPyramid."
Representatives from Denver Public Schools, Colorado on the Move and other organizations will discuss the benefits and features of the new "MyPyramid" system and to highlight current initiatives in Colorado that encourage good nutrition and physical fitness.
Eric Bost, Under Secretary, USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, Dr. Jim Hill, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and representatives from the Colorado nutrition and physical fitness community will be at the event. Bost will be available for interviews immediately after the event or by appointment after 1:30 p.m.
Swansea Elementary School is located at 4650 Columbine St. For information, contact Wendy Henry-Moraskie, 303-844-0312 or Anjali Budhiraja, 303-844-0312 or 720-273-9168.
Background
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on April 19 unveiled MyPyramid, a new graphic symbol and interactive food guidance system. MyPyramid's central message, "Steps to a Healthier You," supports President Bush's HealthierUS initiative which is designed to help Americans live longer, better and healthier lives. MyPyramid, which replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced in 1992, is part of an overall food guidance system that emphasizes the need for a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle.
USDA Under Secretary Eric Bost will visit Denver to show the new design to local leaders in the nutrition and physical fitness community and to acknowledge the significant projects already taking place here.
"Colorado is the birthplace of many wonderful initiatives, including Dr. Jim Hill's Colorado on the Move and America on the Move," Bost said. "The new MyPyramid system will help guide and encourage more of the positive steps currently being taken here."
MyPyramid incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in January.
Consumers can get more in-depth information from the new website MyPyramid.gov.