True
Explanation:
According to ScienceDirect, ¨The Food Guide Pyramid was released by the USDA in 1992 [7], and has been widely distributed to both health professionals and consumers. Its appeal is twofold: It is a simple and actionable graphic, and it is based on detailed analyses that demonstrate its scientific accuracy. Both the form and the content of the Food Guide Pyramid underwent extensive testing. Numerous focus groups were conducted to ensure that consumers understood the messages being conveyed, and that the pyramid was a meaningful graphic for offering dietary guidance [45]. In addition, extensive analyses were conducted to determine what guidance would ensure adequacy (provision of recommended levels of nutrients) and moderation (low-fat, low-energy choices from each of the groups) [45]. Finally, typical dietary patterns in the United States were considered, which led to the selection of the food groups, and the number of servings of each, that would provide the recommended levels of nutrients at three daily energy levels (1600, 2200, and 2800 kcal/day) as shown in Fig. 2. Because the food groups are broadly defined, they can be adapted to meet specific cultural and personal preferences. Thus, the Food Guide Pyramid combines the dietary guidelines and the RDAs/DRIs into a single tool that is both scientifically based and consumer friendly.¨
