Food pyramid

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A food pyramid (also food pyramid is called) a pyramid diet recommendation in which the relative proportions of food groups are represented, which for a healthy human diet are recommended. At the base of the pyramid are the foods to be preferred in terms of quantity, at the top the foods to be consumed in smaller quantities , so that the approximate ratio is clearly shown.

United States Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid (1992)

The first well-known food pyramid was that of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which has since been adapted several times. Their structure is not without controversy and other governmental and non-governmental organizations in many countries have given and are issuing recommendations in the form of food pyramids. In addition to the USA and the WHO, there are more than a dozen countries or organizations in Europe alone .

Objectives of the recommendation

Originally the aim of the pyramid-shaped recommendations for a healthy diet was only a quantitative sufficient supply of food components , typically proteins , carbohydrates , fats , vitamins and minerals . Later pyramids were published whose health goals went beyond this and included qualitative assessments of food (via the hierarchical level of placement), motivated e.g. B. on the connection between diets and disease frequencies .

Food pyramids

First food pyramids

Possibly the idea of giving a quantitative dietary recommendation in the form of a nutrition pyramid was a Swedish invention by cookbook author Anna Britt Agnsäter, which was disseminated by the state in 1974.

United States Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid

United States Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid (2004); the sixth narrow yellow segment stands for oils and fats

The USDA's first food pyramid, published in 1992, was itself based on a publication by the FDB in Denmark in 1978 and was introduced to replace the older food group-based recommendation system. It achieved widespread use and awareness among consumers and was the prototype of many other pyramidal publications in other countries.

The current food pyramid of the USDA 2004, called MyPyramid , consists of six food groups and gave up the hierarchical presentation of these. They are now presented next to each other in a fan shape, proportional to the area of ​​the recommended quantities. In addition, general absolute portion information is no longer given ( portions / servings ), only relative quantities are shown. In addition, an individualized variant with absolute portion information is offered, which is generated on the basis of gender, age, weight and physical fitness.

On June 4, 2011, the USDA released MyPlate as a replacement for the food pyramid. Critics accuse the MyPlate that, like the MyPyramid , it was influenced by the food industry and does not do justice to the latest scientific findings. As a result, Harvard University developed the Healthy Eating Plate .

WHO Europe food pyramid CINDI dietary guide

In 2000, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published the CINDI dietary guide as part of the CINDI (Countrywide integrated noncommunicable disease intervention) program, which included a food pyramid . It is composed of three hierarchical levels with four food groups, in addition one is traffic light - color coding used by green (below) to red. The basis is a carbohydrate / vegetable / fruit group, the second level contains the two groups dairy products and proteins (animal and vegetable) and the top is made up of foods with a high sugar and fat content.

The food pyramid of the German Nutrition Society

Following the example of the USA, other countries published partially adapted versions of the USDA's food pyramid in the following years. For Germany, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) did this on the basis of its nutrition group , which has existed since the 1950s and promoted whole foods .

Food pyramid according to the recommendations of the DGE (after 1992, currently until 2005)

In the nutritional recommendation of the DGE (after 1992), drinks, especially water, come first. You should drink at least 1.5 liters a day. At the base are the staple foods that contain long-chain carbohydrates (starches), such as bread, rice and pasta. On the next higher level there are vegetables and fruits. The third stage includes proteins and protein-rich foods such as milk and dairy products on the one hand and meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and beans (legumes) on the other. At the top of the pyramid are sugars and fats such as vegetable oils, few of which should be consumed.

In the 2000s, the criticism of the carbohydrate-based recommendations grew, on the one hand because there was no decline in diet-related diseases of civilization and the increasing evidence - based medical research called the recommendation into question.

In 2005, the DGE published a pyramid in which vegetables and fruit together had replaced carbohydrate-containing foods as the largest food group: 30% carbohydrate group, 26% vegetables, 17% fruit, 18% dairy products, 7% animal proteins (meat, fish, egg etc.), 2% oils and fats. With a more complex three-dimensional pyramid representation, a nutritional recommendation differentiated in terms of quantity and quality is now made. A study on the effectiveness of this complex 3D presentation in conveying recommendations was carried out and resulted in an average of 80% correct answers to the pyramid from 42 test subjects. According to the DGE, a flexible diet corresponds to the recommendations of the specialist society.

Swiss food pyramid

The Swiss food pyramid was published in 2011 and is based on older versions from 2005 and 1998. The editors are the Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO.

Unsweetened drinks (e.g. water, tea) form the basis of the pyramid. Vegetables and fruits are on the second level, followed by starch-rich foods such as B. (wholemeal) bread, potatoes, legumes, etc. a. In the fourth stage, protein-rich foods are summarized such as B. Milk, dairy products, eggs, meat, fish and vegetable protein sources such as tofu, dry soy, seitan, etc. In the 5th level are oils, fats and nuts. At the top are foods that are to be enjoyed with moderation, such as sweets, sweet drinks, salty snacks and alcoholic beverages.

Detailed recommendations can be found on the website of the Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE.

The recommendations of the Swiss Food Pyramid are aimed at adults between the ages of 19 and 65. For specific age and population groups (e.g. children, pregnant women, competitive athletes) as well as in the event of illness or a desired weight loss, different recommendations sometimes apply.

The food pyramid is not a rigid nutrition plan, but allows food, drinks and meals to be individually combined according to personal preferences, dislikes and habits. The food quantities listed in the supplementary information sheet serve as a guide.

Food pyramid of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health

7-level food pyramid of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health (2010)

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Health published a food pyramid in March 2010 with the following recommendations:

  • Daily min. 1.5 liters of water and non-alcoholic or low-energy drinks.
  • 3 servings of vegetables or legumes and 2 servings of fruit daily.
  • 4 servings of grain, bread, pasta, rice or potatoes daily (5 servings for active athletes and children) - preferably whole grains.
  • 3 servings of low-fat milk and dairy products daily.
  • 1–2 servings of fish per week. A maximum of 3 servings of low-fat meat or low-fat sausage products per week. A maximum of 3 eggs per week.
  • 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oils, nuts or seeds daily. Spreadable, baking and frying fats and high-fat dairy products sparingly.
  • Fatty, high-sugar, high-salt foods and high-energy drinks are rare.

In the 7-layer pyramid, a finer distinction is made between animal and vegetable sources of fat, fruit and vegetables also form the basis here, and foods containing carbohydrates are one level higher. A scientific source for this pyramid was not given by the BfG.

Healthy Eating Pyramid of the Harvard School of Public Health

Due to recent scientific findings on the individual food classes by new studies and meta- beat Walter Willett and Meir J. Stampfer of the Harvard School of Public Health in 2003, a new food pyramid before: Vegetable oils (from olive , canola , soybean , corn sprout, sunflower seeds or peanuts ) can now be found at the bottom of the high-fiber grain products, while peeled rice, white bread, potatoes and pasta as well as butter and red meat are at the top, i.e. with the foods that can only be consumed in small quantities.

When it comes to meat, a distinction is made between poultry and red meat, with poultry being considered healthier and correspondingly more frequently eaten. Poultry, fish and nuts are said to be the main sources of protein, while red meat and cheese should be eaten as rarely as possible. Here too, however, the authors admit certain uncertainties about the connection between eating habits and health.

Willetts and Stampfer's proposal to incorporate the epidemiology of nutrition-dependent diseases into a revised nutrition pyramid has met with broad interest, but also criticism in the scientific community in Germany.

Nutrition pagoda

The Chinese Nutrition Society publishes a nutrition pagoda for China .

Further approaches

However, there are other models, for example one based on the Logi method , which is based on the glycemic load . For example, appropriate models have also been developed for vegetarian nutrition and for Asian cuisine. The Atkins nutrition theory also spreads a food pyramid based on meat and oils, with carbohydrates at the top of the pyramid.

Vegetarian and vegan diet

With a vegan diet and partly also with a vegetarian diet , it must be ensured that a large part of the foods recommended in the food pyramids are not available. This mainly applies to meat (chicken, beef, fish etc.), eggs, milk, whey and cheese products, as well as other animal fats and ingredients. Vegan products that replicate meat and cheese do not always offer exactly the same ingredients, which results in a slightly lower biological value . However, these nutrients can be obtained through consumption of high-fat and protein-rich plants.

In the meantime, vegetarian and vegan food pyramids can also be found on the Internet, which were published, for example, by the Albert Schweitzer Foundation for our Mitwelt , ProVeg Germany (formerly: VEBU ) or by the animal welfare organization PETA . ProVeg Germany also published a “vegan nutrition plate” that is supposed to illustrate the composition of a single meal.

So far, no official food pyramid has been published in Germany that reflects the nutritional needs of vegans. In the USA, the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University published a nutrition pyramid for lacto-vegetarians and vegans back in 2002.

Criticism and Outlook

Since 2000 at the latest, traditional USDA-1992 -based food pyramids have been controversial, on the one hand because there was no decline in diet-related diseases of civilization and the increasing evidence - based medical research called the recommendation into question. Long-term studies ( Nurses' Health Study ) in the USA have shown that people who mainly consume carbohydrates in the form of white flour and sugar are more likely to suffer from obesity and other lifestyle diseases. A more differentiated knowledge of subsets of the food groups is also a result of the research, so that more complex, more differentiated recommendations are to be expected (e.g. fish fats versus other animal fats) than have been shown in pyramids up to now.

The recommendation of 5 servings of vegetables / fruit a day , which is often made in the food pyramids , is also questioned by studies, for example the European EPIC study . In this study, the connection between diet and cancer was examined over a period of 8 years and with half a million study participants, but the expected significant protective effect of vegetables and fruit could not be confirmed.

The DGE criticizes newer pyramids, which are mainly based on the glycemic index (Logi, Willett etc.), because they mix qualitative statements (hierarchical level of the classification of food) with quantitative ones (size of the pyramid level), which leads to confusion the user can lead.

Due to the new findings and the controversial opinions, there are currently no consistent and unambiguous diet recommendations from independent sources.

Special requirements of certain groups of people

Another problem with the food pyramid is that it does not take into account the special requirements of certain groups of people and therefore only provides correct indications for nutrition for a comparatively small part of the population. In particular, the increasing importance of protein supply with age is not taken into account. An intake of up to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, as it is necessary according to recent findings to prevent the breakdown of muscle and brain mass in old age, is hardly possible with a diet according to the specifications of the food pyramid. The protein content, as well as the biological value of the protein contained, is much too low, especially in cereals and legumes. Suitable vegetable foods are, for example, potatoes and soy. But even with the combination of potatoes and whole eggs of the highest quality in terms of protein intake in a protein ratio of 2: 1 (roughly equivalent to one egg in weight class L for 800 grams of potatoes), an adequate protein supply, taking into account the food pyramid, is practically impossible to achieve.

Furthermore, the food pyramid does not take into account the prevalence of food intolerances and allergies, which for example lead to an additional reduction in protein intake through malabsorption disorders as a result of diarrhea. A common example is gluten-induced enteropathy (celiac disease) . An undifferentiated diet according to the requirements of the food pyramid leads to considerable damage to health in this most common form of protein intolerance. This applies in particular to the cereal products recommended by the DGE and, to a limited extent, oat flakes.

Web links

Commons : Food pyramids  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Investigations and Reviews
Recommendations from individual organizations

Individual evidence

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  2. ↑ a b c d e Peter Stehle et al .: Graphic implementation of dietary guidelines - traditional and new approaches . In: Nutrition review . tape 52 , no. 4 , 2005, p. 128–135 ( online [PDF; accessed March 2, 2011]).
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  5. ^ Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 1995. Dietary guidelines for Americans. Report of the Dietary Guidelines. Secretary of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.
  6. ^ Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture . 2005. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  7. ↑ MyPyramid: Inside the Pyramid. (No longer available online.) USDA.gov, 2010, archived from the original on January 8, 2011 ; accessed on October 6, 2015 .
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  9. ↑ MyPyramid Plan ( Memento from February 1, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) - individualized pyramid, USDA.gov (English, 2011)
  10. ↑ USDA's MyPlate. United States Department of Agriculture, accessed June 2, 2011 .
  11. ↑ Healthy Eating Plate shows short comings in government's MyPlate. Retrieved May 2, 2012 .
  12. ↑ Comparison of the Healthy Eating Plate and the USDA's MyPlate. September 14, 2011, accessed May 2, 2012 .
  13. ↑ Harvard to USDA: Check out the Healthy Eating Plate. September 14, 2011, accessed May 2, 2012 .
  14. ↑ WHO regional office for europe (ed.): CINDI dietary guide, EUR / 00/5018028 . 2000, ISBN 92-890-1183-1 (English, online [PDF; 1000 kB ; accessed on March 2, 2011]).
  15. ↑ Whole food and drink according to the 10 rules of the DGE. (No longer available online.) DGE, June 2, 2002, archived from the original on June 2, 2002 ; Retrieved March 2, 2011 .
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  17. ↑ a b Ulrike Gonder: fat: hidden news. In: Saarbrücker Zeitung . March 15, 2007.
  18. ↑ The three-dimensional food pyramid. DGE, 2005, accessed March 2, 2011 .
  19. ↑ Evaluation study on the use and benefits of the three-dimensional food pyramid in nutrition education and counseling (peer review process) - University of Flensburg, Ulrike Johannsen et al. (August 12, 2009)
  20. ↑ Germany says goodbye to meat. In: The world. May 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE: Swiss Food Pyramid. Background information, 2011. www.sge-ssn.ch/lebensmittelpyramide (accessed on November 2, 2018)
  22. ↑ Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE: Swiss Food Pyramid. Recommendations for balanced and enjoyable food and drink for adults, 2016. www.sge-ssn.ch/lebensmittelpyramide (accessed on November 2, 2018)
  23. ↑ BM: Food pyramid, Infographics: Food pyramid New - March 2010. (No longer available online.) Fonds Gesundes Österreich, March 2010, archived from the original on October 6, 2014 ; Retrieved October 5, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.fgoe.org
  24. ^ Walter C. Willett et al: Food Pyramids: What Should You Really Eat? Harvard School of Public Health, 2001, accessed March 2, 2011 .
  25. ↑ Walter C. Willett et al .: Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. Simon & Schuster, New York 2001, ISBN 0-684-86337-5 .
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  27. ↑ FAO, Food-based dietary guidelines - China
  28. ↑ Vegetarian Association Germany. Vegetarian food pyramid . Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  29. ↑ The Asian Food Pyramid. ( Memento from January 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) erdnuss-info.de. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  30. ↑ Veganfoodpyramid.com: Vegane Nutrition Pyramid ( German ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this note. ) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / veganfoodpyramid.com
  31. ↑ https://albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/aktuell/die-aktuelle-vegane-lebensmittelpyramide ,
  32. ↑ VEBU's vegetarian and vegan food pyramid https://vebu.de/fitness-gesundheit/ernaehrungspyramide/
  33. ↑ PETA's vegan food pyramid http://www.peta.de/ernaehrungspyramide
  34. ↑ This is how easy a healthy plant-based diet is: the vegan food plate. In: ProVeg Germany: Plant-based nutrition. ProVeg Germany, July 5, 2018, accessed on December 17, 2018 .
  35. ↑ Colleen A. Venti, Carol S. Johnston: Modified Food Guide Pyramid for Lactovegetarians and Vegans. Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University East, Mesa, AZ 85212 jn.nutrition.org, (accessed May 31, 2016)
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  37. ↑ Kris-Etherton et al: Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease . In: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology . tape 23 , no. 2 , February 2003, p. e20 , doi : 10.1161 / 01.ATV.0000038493.65177.94 (English, online [accessed on March 2, 2011]).
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  39. ^ Udo Pollmer: The European epic of silence - the EPIC study. Deutschlandradio, May 9, 2010, accessed on March 2, 2011 .
  40. ↑ Fruit and vegetables (hardly) protect against cancer.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Deutsches Ärzteblatt. April 7, 2010.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.aerzteblatt.de  
  41. ^ Peter Schauder: Nutritional Medicine . 3. Edition. Elsevier, 2006, ISBN 3-437-22921-4 .
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