Abstract
Objective
To understand key characteristics of mothers who were early adopters of MyPlate (the
iconic representation of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans) in order to speed
adoption among others.
Methods
Through a national online survey, 497 mothers answered questions about MyPlate, demographics,
attitudes, and behaviors. Spearman's rho correlation analysis was conducted between
MyPlate familiarity and usage and these attitudinal and behavioral predictor variables.
Results
MyPlate familiarity was highest among those who found it easy to understand (P = .001) and who were also familiar with MyPyramid (P < .001). Vegetable lovers most strongly believed that MyPlate would help them eat
better (P = .009). This was not true with fruit lovers (P = .36).
Conclusions and Implications
Early MyPlate adopters found it clear and easy to use, perhaps owing to nutrition
knowledge and cooking experience. Efforts to expand MyPlate to new user groups should
explain its purpose and applications, build on familiarity with MyPyramid, and offer
practical guidance for preparing vegetables.
Key Words
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References
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. United States Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dgas2010-policydocument.htm. Accessed April 18, 2013.
ChooseMyPlate. United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Information Service. www.mypyramid.gov. Accessed June 25, 2011.
The Food Guide Pyramid: A Guide to Daily Food Choices. Washington, DC: United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Information Service; 1992; Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232.
My Pyramid. United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Information Service. http://www.mypyramid.gov. Accessed May 14, 2005.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 24, 2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
