Build Up Catch Up - 1/20

Catch Up with: The (Food Guide) Pyramid, Poll on Plans, Poo & Perspectives on Fasting

(Note: Anytime you see an underline it means there’s a hyperlink to an article or research or more information!)

Perplexing (Food Guide) Pyramid Quarrel

Many, and especially dietitians, may find it odd to hear that the Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) has been in the news this past week — particularly since the pyramid graphic, designed to be a visible representation of the Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans, hasn’t been used since 2005 (MyPyramid since 2011). Most of us realize that the current graphic is “My Plate”, and that’s been in use since 2011. Here’s a look at the history of USDA food guides .

Thanks to some misinformed individuals on social media misunderstanding the “Food Compass” food profiling system (a Tufts University creation — not a USDA creation); the FGP got some heat. Accusations ensued on social media: that “Food Compass” is a government creation and the basis for a new FGP (it’s not); that Americans all recognize(d) the FGP or MyPlate (they don’t —Only about 25% of adults were aware of MyPlate – and less than 10% had attempted to use the guidance) and that the nutrition community, and in particular dietitians, blindly follow the FGP and recommend everyone eat according to the FGP or MyPlate (we don’t).

Be sure and check out this piece in Snopes for a timeline for this bizarre story with an odd cast of characters including Food Compass and Dariush Mozaffarian; nutrition scientist Ty Beal; and podcasting celebrity Joe Rogan…and how this all got wildly out of control with accusations that the government was saying Lucky Charms was “healthier than” ground beef.

Bonus Listen: For more of the backstory on the Food Guide Pyramid on Maintenance Phase Podcast

Bonus Question: (The first person to comment with a correct answer gets a $10 Starbucks gift card -US only!). Question: Name at least ONE other country that uses a triangle/pyramid to represent their dietary recommendations/guidelines

Conference Plans - Build Up Dietitians Survey Results

We did a survey in late 2022 asking about plans for conferences for 2023. These were the results from 250 dietitians.

What are YOUR nutrition/dietetics conference plans for 2023? Are you planning on attending ASN? ASPEN? FNCE? something else?

On Poo (Diarrhea)

Helpful information - how often does a patient’s tube feeding (TF) get held at your facility because that patient has diarrhea, when the culprit is more likely the meds?

Perspective on Intermittent Fasting (IF)…. is it just skipping meals? Time Restricted Eating (TRE)? or this year’s term, “Circadian Rhythm Eating”? (& some research about efficacy):

(TRE) “Among patients with obesity, a regimen of time-restricted eating was not more beneficial with regard to reduction in body weight, body fat, or metabolic risk factors than daily calorie restriction.” New England Journal of Medicine

Overall look at Intermittent Fasting (IF) by dietitian Dana Angelo White from an article in Today’s Dietitian Magazine "Intermittent Fasting- An Evidence-Based Assessment"

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