Why Food Pyramid Failed?

Why USDA's Food Pyramid Was a Disaster that Contributed to the Rise of Obesity!

In May 2011, the USDA released a graphic called “My Plate” to help people choose what foods to eat instead of the “Food Pyramid”. The useless and misleading food pyramid, which has been confusing consumers for over 40 years, has advocated a philosophy of eating more simple grains, grain based products such as white breads, rice, pasta etc. and other less “fatty” foods without differentiating between simple and complex carbohydrates, and not recognizing the importance of adequate protein. As we evolved as Hunters and Gatherers, our bodies are designed to eat a lot of protein along with complex carbohydrates that come from certain low glycemic fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

Unfortunately, consuming a lot of the grain based “simple carbohydrates” such as breads, potatoes, sugary beverages, although low in fat, can lead to a phenomenon called “Insulin Resistance”.  Affecting up to one in every 3 Americans, Insulin Resistance is very common and can lead to difficulty losing weight, pre-diabetes, or type II diabetes, heart disease and other long term health problems. While the new My plate tries to address some of these issues, it still does not provide any spesific guidance on the glycemic index of foods which plays an important role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance.

At W8MD, our physicians are well versed with the current concepts in obesity and managing the metabolic syndrome, reduce insulin resistance and help lose weight in a safe, effective way using proven tools such as Very Low Calorie Diets under supervision.

Learn more about Insulin Resistance.

How can W8MD help?

Learning about insulin resistance is the first step toward making lifestyle changes that can help prevent diabetes and other health problems. A W8MD medical bariatrician/obesity medicine physicians are trained in the medical management of Obesity and will be able to help design a customized program to suit your needs.

Learn more about insulin resistance, healthy food choices and find out if you might be insulin resistant using our W8MD Insulin Resistance Calculator.

Portions of this article, written by Dr. Prab R. Tumpati, MD, were published in the 4Health Magazine, June, 2012 Edition.