[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 176 (Thursday, September 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53536-53539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22763]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 176 / Thursday, September 11, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 53536]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; Notice of Availability 
of Proposed Food Guide Pyramid Daily Food Intake Patterns and Technical 
Support Data and Announcement of Public Comment Period

AGENCY: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food Guide Pyramid is based on current science, which 
continues to increase our knowledge about healthy eating. In keeping 
with this, USDA has initiated a broad-based review and update of the 
Pyramid's food patterns based on current nutritional standards, to 
serve as a framework that can help consumers assess and improve their 
diets. The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) 
solicits written comments on proposed revisions to the daily food 
intake patterns that serve as the technical basis for the Food Guide 
Pyramid. The proposed daily food intake patterns and technical support 
data are available electronically and in hard copy; for availability, 
refer to Section I of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed daily food intake patterns and 
technical support documents can be submitted and must be received by 
the Agency on or before October 27, 2003. Please provide technical 
data, citations, or other information to substantiate your comments, if 
needed.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Food Guide Pyramid Reassessment 
Team, USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Copies of the Proposed Daily Food Intake Patterns and 
Technical Support Data

    The proposed daily food intake patterns and technical support data 
can be downloaded from the Internet in .PDF file format at 
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update. Hard copies of the information are 
available for review at the Reference section of the National 
Agricultural Library located at 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD, 
20705. The telephone number is (301) 504-5755. Additional background 
information on the Food Guide Pyramid is also available on the Internet 
at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update and at the National Agricultural 
Library. This additional information includes a bibliography of prior 
technical publications.

II. Context for the Revision Process and Relationship to the Dietary 
Guidelines

    CNPP is requesting comments on the proposed daily food intake 
patterns and the supporting technical data for the Food Guide Pyramid. 
CNPP is asking for comments on the adequacy, methodology, and use of 
the data. The Food Guide Pyramid is an educational tool that interprets 
and helps Americans implement the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 
process for updating the Pyramid is being coordinated with the upcoming 
review and potential revision of the Guidelines. Proposed food intake 
patterns and a summary of comments received in response to this notice 
will be presented to and discussed with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines 
Advisory Committee before the patterns are finalized, to seek Committee 
input into the process and outcomes. After these technical documents 
have been finalized, revisions to the graphic presentation of the 
Pyramid and consumer materials will proceed. CNPP anticipates that 
proposed revisions to the graphic presentation will also be posted for 
public comment at a later time.

III. Background on the Food Guide Pyramid

    The Food Guide Pyramid is based on the latest scientific standards 
for healthful eating. USDA has provided food guidance to the American 
public for over 100 years, and the Food Guide Pyramid is the current 
graphic representation of this guidance. The Pyramid is a food-based 
dietary guidance tool to help Americans make daily food choices that 
are adequate in meeting nutritional standards but moderate in energy 
level and in food components often consumed in excess. What is 
``adequate'' and ``moderate'' is determined by recommendations from 
established authoritative bodies, expert panels such as the Dietary 
Guidelines Advisory Committee and the National Academy of Sciences' 
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Dietary Reference Intake committees.
    The Pyramid itself is a graphic representation of science-based 
daily food intake patterns. These daily food intake patterns form the 
foundation for both the graphic presentation of the Pyramid and for 
consumer messages about what and how much to eat. This notice announces 
the availability of proposed updates to these food intake patterns, 
which identify amounts to consume from each food group and subgroup at 
a variety of energy levels. These patterns have been developed to meet 
current nutritional standards for adequacy and moderation, and they 
will form the basis for the development of the graphic presentation as 
well as consumer messages and materials. CNPP is not seeking comments 
on the graphic presentation of the Pyramid at this time. Development of 
the consumer presentation and public comment on it will occur at a 
later time.
    The Pyramid was originally released in 1992. It was designed to 
demonstrate food intake patterns that were both adequate and moderate. 
The goal of designing ``total diet'' recommendations differed from 
previous food guides that were concerned with adequacy only and were 
presented as ``foundation diets'' to which other foods could be added. 
The adequacy and moderation of the Pyramid's original food patterns 
were assessed by comparing nutrients in these patterns to nutritional 
goals determined from the IOM Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and other widely accepted standards 
that were current at the time.
    Another goal for the original food intake patterns was that they 
would be based on foods commonly consumed by Americans, as determined 
from national food consumption surveys, to make the recommendations 
realistic and practical. Thus, food groups and

[[Page 53537]]

subgroups were established based on nutritional similarities among 
foods, similar uses of the foods in meals, and consumer perceptions of 
the foods as similar. The food intake patterns, then, included the 
types of foods Americans most commonly eat, grouped in familiar ways, 
but with the amounts from each food group and subgroup modified to 
represent healthful proportions. To determine these proportions, 
nutrient profiles were calculated for each food group and subgroup by 
using a weighted average of the nutrients supplied by the foods in that 
group, with weights based on nationwide consumption of the food items. 
The nutrient profiles were used to determine the amount that the 
Pyramid should include from each group or subgroup in order to meet the 
nutritional goals at various calorie levels. Nutrient profiles were 
calculated by using forms of each food in the group with the lowest fat 
content and without added sugars. Additional fat and added sugars for 
each food intake pattern were calculated and listed separately from the 
food groups, in amounts to meet energy and nutrient goals for the 
pattern. This permitted individuals to select some foods containing 
additional fats or sugars, such as whole milk, sweetened cereals, or 
cookies, or to use the additional fats and sugars in food preparation.
    When the Food Guide Pyramid was released in 1992, its accompanying 
consumer booklet focused on three food intake patterns, at 1600, 2200, 
and 2800 calories, to illustrate diets spanning the range of numbers of 
servings recommended. These three patterns covered average energy needs 
of many age/gender groups as suggested by the 1989 RDA. Adjustments to 
those patterns were suggested for young children, who require fewer 
calories, and for teens and young adults for whom higher amounts of 
calcium were recommended. Technical reports on development of the 
Pyramid described analyses of food intake patterns at additional 
calorie levels, ranging from 1200 to 3200 calories. (See bibliography 
of technical publications at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update.)
    Proposed revisions to the daily food intake patterns are based on 
the same philosophical goals that were used in developing the original 
Pyramid--including the goals to represent a total diet that is both 
adequate and moderate, as well as to reflect current food consumption 
choices in determining nutrient sources. The data sources for the 
revision were the most current versions available at the time the 
analysis was conducted. They include the IOM Dietary Reference Intakes 
released between 1997 and 2002 and the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for 
Americans, for setting nutritional goals, and the USDA Continuing 
Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1994-96, for food consumption 
information. CNPP is presently analyzing data from the 1999-2000 
National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, released in August 
2002 by the Department of Health and Human Services, to corroborate the 
adequacy of the proposed food intake patterns.

IV. Daily Food Intake Patterns

    Daily Food Intake Patterns identify the types and variety of foods 
suggested for Americans to eat for health, and the general proportions 
in which these foods should be eaten. Individuals with higher energy 
needs would eat more from all food groups than would those with lower 
energy needs. Therefore, the daily intakes are presented as food 
patterns at a number of energy levels. These are provided in Table 1. 
Each pattern identifies specific amounts of foods from each food group 
and subgroup for an individual whose needs match that energy level. To 
ensure that foods of this variety and proportion will meet nutrient 
needs, the total nutrients from all foods in each food intake pattern 
are compared with specific nutrient goals.
    The nutrient goals for the proposed Daily Food Intake Patterns 
shown in Table 1 were set to meet new nutritional standards, including 
the year 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the IOM Dietary 
Reference Intakes for vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients released 
between 1997 and 2002. The specific targeted energy levels and 
nutritional goals for each proposed food pattern, using these current 
reference standards, are provided in Table 2 and Table 3. The specific 
goals for each food pattern were set to meet the nutritional needs of 
the age and gender group(s) whose average energy needs approximately 
matched the energy level of the pattern.
    With the prevalence of overweight and obesity rising, and with a 
predominantly sedentary population, it is of utmost importance to 
select suggested energy levels for each age/gender group that will not 
overestimate needs. Therefore, the decision was made to create food 
patterns for each age/gender group appropriate for several levels of 
physical activity. The pattern for each group at the lowest energy 
level, appropriate for sedentary individuals, was used as the target 
pattern to compare with the nutrient goals for that age/gender group. 
Both target patterns used for comparison with nutritional goals and 
suggested patterns for more physically active individuals are provided 
in Table 2. The food patterns at the higher energy levels will also 
meet nutrient goals, and will provide more food for an active 
individual's energy needs.
    To determine if each food intake pattern meets its nutrient goals, 
CNPP calculated the overall nutrient content of each pattern. For these 
calculations, nutrient profiles for each food group were revised based 
on the most recent data available on food consumption patterns of 
Americans. Nutrient profiles are weighted averages of the nutrient 
content of foods in each food group or subgroup. Weights are based on 
consumption by Americans of various foods in the group. Nutrient 
profiles for a reference amount (e.g., \1/2\ cup or 1 ounce) of each 
food group and subgroup are provided in Table 4. Based on these 
nutrient profiles and the proposed daily intakes from each food group 
and subgroup, the total nutrients in each pattern were determined and 
compared to the nutritional goals set for that pattern. The nutrients 
in each pattern and comparison with goals are provided in Table 5.
    The following Tables are available for review and comment at 
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update:
    1. Proposed Daily Food Intake Patterns. This document lists the 
daily amounts of food from each group and subgroup in proposed food 
patterns at multiple energy levels.
    2. Energy Levels for Proposed Food Intake Patterns. This document 
lists the target and suggested energy levels for the food intake 
patterns (shown in Table 1) for various age/gender groups, based on 
Estimated Energy Requirements set by the IOM. Target patterns are 
designed for sedentary individuals of reference body size within 
various age/gender groups and are used in determining the nutrient 
adequacy of each pattern. Higher suggested food pattern energy levels 
are also presented for individuals in each age/gender group who are 
``low active'' or ``active'' according to the IOM definitions.
    3. Nutritional Goals for Proposed Daily Food Intake Patterns. This 
document lists the nutritional goals for each proposed food intake 
pattern. These goals include targets for vitamins, minerals, and 
macronutrients and acceptable intake ranges for macronutrients for 
various age/gender groups. Goals were set based on Dietary Reference 
Intakes reports for various vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that 
have been released by the IOM from 1997 to 2002; on quantitative 
recommendations in the year 2000

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Dietary Guidelines; for sodium and cholesterol on Daily Values set by 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on food labels; and for 
potassium on the estimated minimum requirement from the 1989 RDAs.
    4. Nutrient Profiles of Food Guide Pyramid Food Groups and 
Subgroups. These profiles identify the nutritional composition of foods 
in each group or subgroup, weighted by their average consumption by 
Americans. Nutrient profiles are also included for additional solid 
fats, oils and soft margarines, and for added sugars. Consumption data 
for food groups were calculated from the 1994-96 USDA Continuing Survey 
of Food Intakes by Individuals. The nutrient profiles are used in 
determining whether the nutritional goals for each Pyramid food pattern 
are met.
    5. Nutrients in Proposed Food Intake Patterns. This table 
identifies the overall nutrient composition for each proposed food 
pattern and how this nutrient composition compares to the nutritional 
goals set for that pattern. First, the total amount of each nutrient in 
the pattern is calculated by using the nutrient profile for each food 
group or subgroup (Table 4) multiplied by the amount to be consumed 
from that group (Table 1). Then, the total amount of each nutrient is 
compared to the nutritional goal for that nutrient reported in Table 3. 
The result of that comparison is shown in Table 5 as a percent of the 
nutrient goal or as a percent of calories.

V. Topics of Particular Interest to CNPP for Comments

    Comments are welcomed on all aspects of the proposed Daily Food 
Intake Patterns and the accompanying technical support data tables. 
CNPP has particular interest in receiving comments from the public on 
the following issues and questions:
    1. Appropriateness of using sedentary, reference-sized individuals 
in assigning target calorie levels (Table 2) for assessing the 
nutritional adequacy and moderation of each food intake pattern.
    Reference heights and weights are set in Dietary Reference Intakes 
reports. Reference heights are the median heights for each age/gender 
group. Reference weights are weights that should approximate ``ideal'' 
weights based on low risk of chronic disease and adequate growth for 
children. For most adults, the reference weight used in these 
calculations represents a weight that is less than their actual weight. 
Use of average weights would increase the estimated energy 
requirements, and their use could promote consumption of food at a 
level that would increase weight or maintain weight above what is 
healthy.
    The calorie levels for food patterns used in comparing intakes with 
nutritional goals are those that are appropriate, on average, for 
sedentary individuals in each age/gender group. Use of these calorie 
levels does not require the assumption that a person needs to be active 
in order to meet nutrient needs. Given the sedentary lifestyles of many 
Americans, it was considered better not to assume any specific level of 
physical activity. However, CNPP does plan to encourage physical 
activity in Food Guide Pyramid materials designed for consumers.
    2. Appropriateness of the selection of nutritional goals for the 
daily food intake patterns. The nutritional goals and their sources are 
identified in Table 3. For most nutrients, the adequacy goal is based 
on the RDA or Adequate Intake set by the IOM in recent Dietary 
Reference Intake reports. RDAs rather than Estimated Average 
Requirements, also set by the IOM, were used as the criteria for the 
nutritional goals because the food intake patterns are designed for use 
by individuals rather than for planning group intakes. The goal for 
each pattern is to have an intake at the RDA or Adequate Intake level 
or higher, but less than the Upper Limit of intake for that nutrient. 
In light of the inherent limitations of the data used to set the RDA 
and to create nutrient profiles, small deviations below the target of 
100% RDA were considered acceptable. Because of the way nutrients are 
distributed in foods, levels of some nutrients in the food patterns 
(protein and vitamins C and A, for example) will likely exceed 
recommended quantities, while the pattern provides just the recommended 
quantities of other nutrients (folate and zinc, for example). Amounts 
of a nutrient in excess of the RDA or Adequate Intake were considered 
acceptable as long as they did not exceed the Upper Limits for that 
nutrient. For potassium, no recent Dietary Reference Intake report was 
available, so the 1989 minimum requirement was used.
    For moderation goals, the standards used were the Acceptable 
Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) from the IOM macronutrients 
report, quantitative recommendations from the 2000 Dietary Guidelines, 
or Daily Values set by FDA for use on Nutrition Facts Labels. In the 
case of the AMDRs, the goals were for nutrient levels to be within the 
range specified. An intake goal for trans fats was not set because no 
quantified standard is provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes or the 
Dietary Guidelines. In addition, data on the current amount of trans 
fats in many food items are not available. CNPP does plan to provide 
information about limiting consumption of trans fats in materials 
designed for consumers.
    Nutritional goal for total fiber: For total fiber, the IOM set 
Adequate Intake (AI) levels for each age/gender group based on the 
median caloric intake for that group. Since the food intake patterns 
are planned to meet nutrient needs at lower calorie levels--for 
sedentary, reference-sized individuals--the AIs were not considered to 
be appropriate goals. Therefore, the nutritional goal for total fiber 
is 14 grams total fiber per 1000 calories, the value used by the IOM as 
the basis for setting AI levels. In addition, the AI for fiber is set 
for ``total'' fiber rather than the ``dietary'' fiber that is available 
in food composition tables. The IOM report suggests that the amount of 
total fiber in an average diet, about 2000 calories, may be 
approximately 5.1 grams more than the amount of dietary fiber. 
Therefore, to convert the dietary fiber amounts from food composition 
data to estimates of total fiber, 2.5 grams were added to the 
calculated amount of dietary fiber for each 1000 calories in the food 
intake pattern.
    Nutritional goal for vitamin E: The RDA for vitamin E in the 2000 
IOM report increased substantially over the 1989 RDA. Typical intakes 
of vitamin E, as measured in food consumption surveys, are far less 
than the new RDA. Meeting the new RDA, especially at lower calorie 
intakes, would require substantial changes from typical intakes and 
would require the use of foods not commonly consumed. This is not 
consistent with the philosophical goal of being realistic and 
practical. While not reaching the RDA, vitamin E levels in the revised 
food intake patterns are higher than current consumption and are also 
higher than in the original food intake patterns. The major sources of 
vitamin E in American diets are fats and oils (20%) and vegetables 
(15%). Sunflower and safflower oils are especially rich in vitamin E, 
but the majority of vitamin E from fats and oils in American diets 
comes from soybean oil, which is much more widely consumed. The 
proposed daily food intake patterns include higher levels of dark green 
vegetables, legumes, and oils and soft margarines (replacing some solid 
fats) than the original Pyramid. Specifying the use of nuts and seeds 
to meet the vitamin E RDA was not considered to be feasible, since they 
contribute only 4% of the total vitamin E in American diets. In 
addition, peanuts or peanut butter, which together represent about 80% 
of all nut

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consumption, are not especially rich sources of vitamin E.
    Nutritional goal for added sugars: The amounts of added sugars 
listed for each food intake pattern represent the amounts that can be 
included in each pattern without overconsuming calories. In the Dietary 
Reference Intakes macronutrients report, a suggestion was made to limit 
added sugars to less than 25% of calories as a maximal level. This is 
well above the amounts of added sugars in the proposed food patterns, 
which range from about 6% of calories at intakes of 1600 calories or 
less to 13% of calories at an intake of 3,200 calories. The amounts in 
each proposed pattern are set to balance energy intake with needs, 
given (1) that selections are made from all food groups in accordance 
with the suggested amounts, and (2) that additional fats are used in 
the amounts shown, which together with the fats in the core food groups 
represent about 30% of calories from fat.
    3. Appropriateness of the proposed food intake patterns for 
educating Americans about healthful eating patterns.
    Are the proposed patterns reasonable intakes to expect for the 
various age/gender groups? Are the proposed intakes of some food groups 
or subgroups feasible? While the proportions of food items in each food 
group or subgroup are based on typical food choices, amounts suggested 
to be eaten from the group are altered to be nutritionally 
appropriate--for example, the amounts of whole grains, dark-green 
vegetables, legumes, and fruits suggested are higher than current 
intakes. Amounts of whole grains, dark-green vegetables, and legumes 
are also higher than in the original Pyramid food patterns at similar 
calorie levels. ``Additional fats'' are provided in each proposed 
pattern to allow choice of some added fat in food preparation or higher 
fat options within each food group. These ``additional fats'' have been 
separated into solid fats (more saturated) and oils and soft margarines 
(more unsaturated). Suggested intakes of solid fats are lower than the 
proportion now eaten and suggested intakes of oils and soft margarines 
higher than the proportion now eaten, to encourage substitution of 
solid fats with oils and soft margarines. Will professionals be able to 
use these proposed new patterns to help educate Americans about 
healthful eating patterns? Will individuals or families be able to use 
these patterns in making food choices?
    4. Appropriateness of using ``cups'' and ``ounces'' vs. 
``servings'' in consumer materials to suggest daily amounts to choose 
from each food group and subgroup. The proposed patterns in Table 1 
show both quantity and servings information--they are not inconsistent. 
However, use of both in consumer materials would be confusing. CNPP 
would like to receive comments on this issue prior to the development 
of consumer materials.
    There are advantages and disadvantages of each method of 
representing the amounts suggested for each food group. Using the term 
``serving'' to mean a standardized amount of food is widely 
misunderstood by consumers; many believe that the portion of a food 
they choose, whatever the size, is ``one serving.'' This may lead to 
misinterpretation that the Pyramid encourages too much food. In 
addition, it is often difficult to harmonize Pyramid serving sizes with 
those used by FDA on Nutrition Facts labels. The serving sizes used on 
labels are not necessarily equivalent within a food group in terms of 
calories or nutrients, while Pyramid serving sizes within a group must 
be approximately equivalent in both calories and nutrients. In 
addition, for some products the serving size listed on Nutrition Facts 
labels may vary from 50 to 200% of the FDA-determined standard.
    However, listing a single quantity, such as ``2 cups'' or ``5 
ounces'' as a suggested daily intake for a food group may suggest that 
choosing a variety of foods within the group is not important. Also, 
identifying a single quantity measure appropriate for foods in the 
grains group may be difficult. Can consumers understand, for example, 
that 2 slices of bread are equivalent to 1 cup of grains? In addition, 
some consumers may not be familiar with total quantity or weight terms. 
We recognize that with either system, information about equivalents is 
needed and would have to be provided to consumers. Equivalents within 
each group will be needed to explain, for example, that 1\1/2\ ounces 
of cheese equals 1 cup of milk, or that 1\1/2\ ounces of cheese equals 
1 serving of milk.
    5. Selection of appropriate illustrative food patterns for various 
consumer materials. The original Food Guide Pyramid provided food 
intake patterns at three calorie levels: 1600, 2200, and 2800 calories. 
The proposed food intake patterns are provided at twelve calorie 
levels, to offer more specific guidance and help identify appropriate 
food intake levels to maintain or improve weight status. CNPP would 
like to receive comments on the selection of smaller subsets of these 
food patterns for various uses prior to the development of consumer 
materials.
    For development of consumer materials, what criteria should be used 
to select a smaller number of illustrative food intake patterns? Which 
subset(s) of patterns would be most useful for various audiences? 
Different groups of food intake patterns could be selected for specific 
target audiences, such as adolescents or older Americans. 
Alternatively, a common group of food intake patterns could be selected 
based on a determination of the most common overall estimated calorie 
needs for the population, by using estimates of actual activity levels.

VI. Public Disclosure and Availability of Comments

    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be included 
in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be 
advised that the substance of the comments and the identities of the 
individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to 
public disclosure. CNPP plans to make the comments publicly available 
by posting a copy of all comments on the CNPP Web site at 
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/pyramid-update.

    Dated: August 29, 2003.
Eric J. Hentges,
Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
[FR Doc. 03-22763 Filed 9-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P