Food pyramid not promoting healthy meals, but new plate logo could

Food pyramid symbols printed on food packages, health brochures and nutrition flyers are set to be replaced by a simpler plate-like symbol to be unveiled on Thursday.

Over the past twenty years, the food pyramid guide has been used by the U.S. government to promote a healthy diet among kids, parents and families. But nutritionists have also criticized the symbol for being confusing.

A stripped-down version of the food pyramid found on some cereals and other food items is considered even more useless and health officials felt it's time for a change.

The new symbol looks like a plate or a pie chart with four colored sections. Each section represents fruits, vegetables, protein and grains. Half the plate is covered by fruits and vegetables to be consistent with the current push of the government about eating healthy. A small circle beside the plate symbol symbolizes a dairy product to complete the meal.

The simpler yet clearer approach to the symbol will help Americans pick healthier foods and is in line with the updated dietary guidelines unveiled by the federal government in January. It is expected to be used prominently in First Lady Michelle Obama's public health program against obesity and will gradually replace the old food pyramid logo in consumer products.

"We need to get consumers' attention," Robert C. Post, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, told the NY Times. He added that upon seeing the new symbol, consumers will say, "I need to be a little more concerned about what I choose to build a healthy day's diet."

With the persistent and notorious unhealthy eating habits and worsening obesity problem in the U.S., health officials hope that the new symbol will succeed in what the food pyramid failed to do.