The food pyramid may be back on the menu

EARLY PUBLIC NUTRITION ADVICE CAME AS A WARNING. Wilbur O. Atwater, a chemist and renowned nutritionist, wrote in an 1902 edition of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) digest, Farmers' Bulletin, that “Unless care is exercised in selecting food, a diet may result which is one-sided or badly balanced—that is, one in which either protein or fuel ingredients (carbohydrate and fat) are provided in excess ...

- BY CHAD DE GUZMAN

The evils of overeating may not be felt at once, but sooner or later they are sure to appear.”

Over the years, U.S. authorities have made recommendations on what Americans should eat—often with the help of visual aids. Now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, may bring back a relic from the past to promote the latest advice.

Bloomberg reported that the Trump Administration is considering reinstating the food pyramid when HHS and the USDA jointly update the U.S. Dietary Guidelines in December.

An HHS spokesperson said in November that Kennedy “is committed to new dietary recommendations that are rooted in rigorous science” and that “the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will be a big part of the Trump Administration's commitment to Make America Healthy Again.” A USDA spokesperson said the updated guidelines “will address the chronic disease epidemic plaguing our nation, by prioritizing whole, healthy, and nutritious foods.”