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Food Guide Pyramid: Recommended Daily Allowance

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Food Guide Pyramid: Recommended Daily Allowance
Food Guide Pyramid: Recommended Daily Allowance Obesity has rapidly increased over the past few years, and not just in the United States but throughout the entire world. This international spread raises the disease from an epidemic to a pandemic. Many factors can contribute to obesity; however, society normally considers a sedentary lifestyle coupled with overeating as the primary culprit. Whether this assumption has any truth regarding the primary factor, society as a whole must work together to get this pandemic under control, especially for our overweight children that might be heading towards obesity. One way to promote a healthy lifestyle is to teach others about the Food Guide Pyramid. This knowledge is beneficial for every individual—regardless of one 's age, weight, and physical activity level—because being small in size, weight, and/or age does not guarantee a healthy lifestyle. This essay will inform its readers on the advantages and criticisms of the Food Guide Pyramid and on how they can use the pyramid to determine their daily-recommended allowance for healthy menu planning.
Advantages and Criticisms The Food Guide Pyramid has been modified several times over the past couple of decades, but one thing has remained unchanged: its sole intent of promoting healthy eating habits without depriving one 's body of essential nutrients. The Food Guide Pyramid focuses on eating normally for health and enjoyment; it is not a diet fad that requires the omission of food groups (i.e. the Atkins Diet). Following the pyramid is easy to do and is easy to stick with because one does not have to manipulate his or her food choices. The pyramid recognizes that rigid diets are nearly impossible to follow on a long-term basis. The Food Pyramid is beneficial because it focuses on what one can include in his or her meals instead of what he or she should avoid. It takes some of the stress out of eating healthy. Most importantly, the Food Guide Pyramid is



References: Food guide pyramid. Retrieved on October 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/fitness/fgpinfo.html My pyramid plan. Retrieved on October 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/results.html?age=28& gender=female&activity=sed Using the food guide pyramid. Retrieved on October 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.wheatfoods.org/nutrition_grains/Books/Chapter2.pdf

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