The
Dietary Guidelines for Americans have historically used a public health approach to providing consumers with diet and health recommendations to the general public. Over the past two decades, this broad-based paradigm has remained remarkably consistent while accommodating periodic revisions of the
Dietary Guidelines every 5 years. The
Food Guide Pyramid, a graphical translation of recommended nutrient intakes specified by the
Dietary Guidelines into types and proportions of food, has some flexibility built in for various energy levels, but it is often used in a “one-size-fits-all” manner. Furthermore, the
Food Guide Pyramid has not been significantly revised since it was first published in 1992. Now there is an opportunity to shift from “population-based” guidance to “consumer-specific” guidance, making personalized, dietary guidance even more feasible.
Consumer Use of the Food Guide Pyramid in Today’s Environment
Obesity has become an increasing public health problem and the driving force of nutrition trends today. Media coverage on all issues related to diet and health has escalated to the point that consumers are bombarded with so much conflicting and confusing nutrition information from various sources that they say that it is unclear “who to believe.” In the first 2 years following the creation of the Food Guide Pyramid, media coverage primarily discussed it in a positive light as a new dietary guide replacing the “4 Food Groups.” Today, stories in the media question the relevance of the Pyramid as a dietary tool in an environment of obesity and discuss consumer incomprehension of servings, vegetarian options, and refined carbohydrates versus whole grains. In addition, various groups have developed “alternative” pyramids and have disseminated them to consumers as preferable guides for healthful eating. This has only added to consumer confusion.
Given this increased attention to dietary guidance and the Food Guide Pyramid, the question becomes, “Are consumers getting enough helpful information to facilitate understanding and utilization of the Pyramid’s guidance in their daily life?” A recent survey shows that 88 percent of consumers recognize the Pyramid, but that only 17 percent say they are following it. However, data from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1994-96 show that less than 1 percent of the population actually follow the Pyramid’s recommendations.
In the environment of obesity, the Food Guide Pyramid has the potential to be a useful dietary tool in promoting weight management. However, multiple and mixed consumer messages may partially explain why the Pyramid is currently underutilized and why fad diets are so appealing. Extreme weight management strategies may be perceived as compatible in the short-term with consumers’ lifestyles and promise “quick-and-easy” solutions within their repertoire of skills.
Pyramid Insights from Qualitative Research
Consumer research conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation demonstrates a need for personalizing nutrition messages to make them more meaningful and useful to the consumer. The research showed that Pyramid messages resonate with consumers better when they are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the individual. Consumers find it more understandable when Pyramid servings for the various food groups are illustrated in the context of foods they eat. For instance, “A deli bagel is equivalent to about 4+ servings from the Bread, Cereal, Rice, & Pasta Group.” Consumers also respond positively to messages that they can accommodate within their lifestyle. For example, if an individual is fond of full-fat milk, but is willing to make other trade-offs, statements like, “Love the taste of whole milk? Balance it out with lower-fat foods such as reduced-fat cheese, low-fat sour cream, or fat-free dressing” are received well.
By personalizing nutrition messages, consumers may become more interested and open to following dietary advice, rather than immediately tuning out the guidance being offered. In fact, consumers tell us that effective nutrition, food, and health messages have the following characteristics: positive; short and simple; specific and manageable; provide a payoff; individualized, and fun.
Implications for Dietary Guidance
In a highly polarized environment where consumer confusion is rampant, consumer research is an invaluable tool in knowing consumer needs and maximizing opportunities to individualize dietary guidance messages. Consumer research helps design messages that are useful, realistic, and practical for consumers to follow. Individualization allows flexibility for consumers to eat in a way that suits their taste and lifestyle while meeting nutritional criteria.
The current revision of the food guidance system provides many excellent and “creative” opportunities to make food guidance more relevant to the consumer. Government, media, academe, food industry, and consumers can work collaboratively toward developing unified messages concerning food and nutrition to maximize, rather than negate, the messages that consumers receive. This could be an important step in closing the communications loop and truly help consumers put dietary guidance into practice to achieve a healthful overall diet.
