Pyramid Problem
Bury it with the Pharaohs!
Most people are aware of dietary guides such as the food pyramid, my plate and any number of variations of these guidelines promoted around the world. Whether we’re consciously aware of it or not, most of us are able to give a brief description of the proportions of suggested food types depicted by these visual aids.
Food pyramid/My Plate type guidelines are designed to address large, varied populations of people in the most general sense. Importantly, they are meant to suggest a range of foods based on what is currently available to people. What our food systems actually produce and what we see on our store shelves. They have not been formulated to identify and promote the food proportions and types which have been conclusively shown to bring about better health outcomes. One giveaway in this respect is the inclusion in many dietary guidelines of processed foods containing sugar, refined grains, additives and industrial fats. Why would they be included? Because the guidelines are meant not to 'scare off' the 'average' person in the population. To be inclusive of foods people 'like' so as not to make the suggested diet look too strict, too inconvenient, too inaccessible or bereft of enjoyment.
A major aim of dietary guidelines is to tackle the obvious obesity epidemic (Hence the misguided focus on low-fat foods). They intend to treat a 'disease' (overweight) and to reduce the risk of developing specific kinds of illness. What they should do is concentrate dietary approaches on building and maintaining health for an ageing population. Because what’s a way of reducing the enormous financial burden of a sick elderly population? Prevention, of course. Make older people healthier and therefore less reliant on extremely expensive treatments and services.
They often say “everything in moderation” when recommending a balanced or healthy diet. This is a problem and harks back to my comment on the inclusion of some ultra-processed foods on many dietary guidelines. Clearly, many of us cannot limit, restrict or consume high-sugar and high-fat foods in moderation, in spite of guidelines suggesting we only have them occasionally and in small amounts. Our brains are hardwired to desire high sugar, high fat (high energy) food and drink. This triggers the production of dopamine, the “happy hormone” which mediates the brain’s reward and pleasure centres. In a nutshell, we enjoy the way it feels when we eat these foods so we want to come back for more.
So, there it is. There is a problem with the dietary guidelines and we can address that by removing what doesn’t work, introducing more of what does and, in the process, completely redefining what our own ‘food map’ will look like.
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