USDA unveils 'MyPlate' nutrition icon

The USDA today introduced a simple and clear visual to guide Americans when filling their plates at mealtime. The new MyPlate nutrition icon, which replaces the familiar 'MyPyramid,' shows how to build a healthy meal based on the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

"As a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country," said First Lady Michelle Obama in a live-streamed news conference this morning. "When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we're already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it's tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. As long as they're half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we're golden. That's how easy it is."

Obama acknowledged that MyPlate won't end the epidemic of childhood obesity on its own.

"This can't ensure that the community has access to affordable fruits and vegetables. There's still work to do," she said. "It can't spur kids to get up and move. There's still work to do. But we can build momentum with MyPlate. Today is an enormous step in the right direction."

At the press conference, Dr. Regina Benjamin, the US Surgeon General, said Americans needed a simple and easy tool to help them make healthy choices. She praised USDA's "tremendous effort to create a powerful, simple, understandable message."

'MyPlate' is a bold, colorful icon resembling a sectioned dinner plate. Separate fruits and vegetables sections combine to fill half the plate. The other half of the plate shows grains and protein. A circle representing dairy is off to the side.

In a video introducing MyPlate, USDA secretary Tom Vilsack encourages Americans to choose healthier food and balance it with exercise.

"Next time you sit down for a meal, before you eat, think about what's on your plate. In the months and years ahead, we hope MyPlate becomes your plate," Vilsack said.

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