In the US, the “Food Pyramid” guidelines, which outline nutritional recommendations to the public, are reviewed on a five year basis. However, this model, adopted by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, is believed by some scientists to be contributing to the widespread obesity of the nation.

Dr Richard Feinman, founder of Nutrition& Metabolism, appeared on Fox News recently to offer his comments on the shortcomings of the pyramid and the difficulty in trying to overcome them. He describes an outdated and “one size fits all” model that doesn’t cater for individual requirements and fails to incorporate scientific findings. Using the metabolism of saturated fat as an example, he explains that the role of diet is traditionally misrepresented and highlights the importance of mechanisms such as these being properly understood by the public.

When asked his opinion on why information seems to be withheld, Dr Feinman surmises that “it’s very difficult to get such a big structure to move”, even for members of the committee who have genuine concerns, because of the substantial backing the pyramid receives from respected health bodies such as the NIH, American Diabetes Association and private health organizations.

To hear more about Dr Feinman’s perspective on the “Food Pyramid” and the issues surrounding these guidelines, please listen to the Fox News interview.