Only 9 Percent Of American Mothers Aware of USDA Created 'MyPlate'

While most Americans are aware of "MyPyramid", Cornell University researchers found that only 9 percent of American mothers knew what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created "MyPlate" was all about.

While MyPyramid is a triangle depicting how many servings of each food group you should eat in a day, MyPlate is a circle showing what a healthy meal looks like. The diet chart was created by the USDA in 2011 to help American consumers put the Dietary Guidelines into practice. The colorful icon compels people to rethink what they have on their plate. The plan encourages people to include = fruit, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy within a single meal.

To understand how many people became familiar with MyPlate within 3 months of its release, Dr. Brian Wansink of Cornell University and Dr. Sibylle Kranz of Purdue University conducted a study. Researchers wanted to determine how many mothers, who are often the "nutritional gatekeeper" in most families knew about this dietary guideline. Therefore, they conducted a survey on 497 moms aged between 18 and 65 years. The survey included questions about their knowledge, demographics, behavior and attitudes.

Researchers noted that among the 497 moms that took part in the study, only 46 mothers (9%) were 100% familiar with MyPlate, 105 (21%) were somewhat familiar and 349 (70%) were not aware of it at all. Researchers also found that moms were more likely to be familiar with MyPlate if they already knew about MyPyramid. Moreover, mothers who found MyPlate easy to understand and follow understood its effectiveness better.  Researchers also found that mothers who adopted MyPlate were more likely to be "vegetable lovers" and to involve their kids in preparing family meals.

"Involve kids in meal preparation. This doesn't just mean cooking - kids can also make grocery lists, clip coupons, and set and clear the table," the researchers recommended in a press statement. "Don't just tell your kids to eat their veggies - show them that you do too. Make it a family priority to try new vegetables or new recipes for familiar ones. Who knows, you may become a vegetable lover!"