Different countries and cultures have varying food preferences, availabilities, and dietary patterns. However, among the countries that provide guidance on food choices, most recommend that consumers select from a range of food groups and that they watch how much they eat so that they stay healthy.
MyPlate nutrition messages include:
Image Source: http://www.choosemyplate.gov
While the physical presentations of food guides vary from country to country, they generally convey messages encouraging individuals to consume a varied diet that emphasizes fruits and vegetables and other plant-based foods and minimizes solid fats, salt, and sugar. Some countries have created more than one food guide presentation to allow messages to be tailored to specific cultural groups within the country. For example, Canada created an alternative food guide that recognizes the traditions and food choices of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis tribes.
Image Source: Painter, J, Rah, JH, & Yeon-Kyung, L. (2002). Comparison of international food guide pictorial representations. Journal of the academy of nutrition and dietetics. 102(4), 483.
