Release No. 0131.06

Contact: Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623
John Webster (703) 305-7600

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USDA'S MyPyramid.Gov Celebrates 1st Anniversary

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2006— USDA's MyPyramid.gov website observed the first anniversary of its introduction today, having become one of the most popular websites in government, logging over 1.7 billion hits. Over one million individuals are now enrolled users of the site's tool that allows each person to analyze his or her individual eating and physical activity behavior.

"Over the last year the public has embraced our new pyramid, with more than a million people tracking their nutrition," said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. "MyPyramid supports the President's Healthier US Initiative to help Americans live longer, better and healthier lives by moving away from a 'one size fits all' message to a more personalized approach to healthy eating."

With growing public concern about overweight and obesity and interest in improving health, USDA designed MyPyramid to reach a broad spectrum of the American public. MyPyramid.gov was designed to incorporate the latest, most credible science as reflected in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, while offering a practical tool to individualize and personalize the food guidance. The MyPyramid web site can be accessed in both English and Spanish and a child friendly version, MyPyramid for Kids, has also been developed.

According to Naomi Fukagawa, M.D., Ph.D., Co-President of the American Society of Nutrition, "As a professional organization representing nutrition scientists, we believe that the new MyPyramid is an effective tool for communicating nutrition research into nutrition guidance. MyPyramid helps the American public make better food choices by encouraging all of us to incorporate healthier nutrition and physical activity in our daily activities."

According to a recent website satisfaction survey, 68 percent of the respondents indicated that MyPyramid.gov had prompted them to take action regarding their health. When asked why they had visited MyPyramid.gov, the number one answer was "to change my diet and eat healthier."

USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), the lead agency in development of MyPyramid, is working closely with partners such as USDA's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program to provide nutrition guidance to families without access to the Internet. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service is incorporating MyPyramid messaging into their nutrition education programs. Also, the Society for Nutrition Education is developing the MyPyramid e-catalog designed for nutrition educators to share education tools and curricula built around MyPyramid and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

At MyPyramid.gov, individuals can utilize the interactive MyPyramid Plan and MyPyramid Tracker tools. By entering age, gender and physical activity levels, the Plan provides a personalized, easy to remember list of how much should be eaten from each of the five food groups. For an in depth analysis of dietary behaviors, the MyPyramid Tracker provides an assessment of ones diet quality and physical activity status, which can be tracked for up to one year.

MyPyramid.gov also includes an interactive game called MyPyramid Blast Off for children 6 to 11 years old. By fueling their rocket with food and physical activity, Blast Off helps students learn how their choices fit into MyPyramid. In fact, the number two reason for visiting MyPyramid.gov, according to a recent website satisfaction survey, is for educational purposes and student assignments.

In addition, several enhancements to MyPyramid.gov are underway, including the development of targeted food guidance messages for worksite wellness programs and a meal-planning tool.

For more information on MyPyramid or to order publications, go to MyPyramid.gov or call the CNPP Consumer Hotline at 1-888-7-PYRAMID.

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