Here’s a new tool to help guide what goes on your plate.

Today, the Obama administration is tossing out the old food pyramid, that symbol for healthy eating for the last two decades. In its place, officials are dishing up a simple new icon meant to give consumers like you and me a fast, easily grasped reminder of the basics of a healthy diet. Watch the announcement live!

Photo by leoncillo sabino

The new symbol is meant to help educate consumers about the government’s latest dietary guidelines, which were released in January. These guidelines come at a time when two-thirds of adults and one in three children are overweight or obese.

It’s also a time when nearly 15 percent of American households are unable to acquire adequate food to meet their needs. And with today’s economy, that rate keeps climbing.

It might seem like a paradox, but not having enough money for food actually promotes obesity — by limiting choices and discouraging healthy decisions.

For many low-income families, putting food on the table comes down to tough choices. Do I pay extra for pricey yet healthy foods, but skip other essentials for my family? Or do I buy the cheapest, most filling junk food I can find so that I can pay my rent on time? I can’t do both.

Obesity IS an economic issue.  Eating well is beyond the reach of many Hoosiers. Thankfully, many folks are working to change that picture in Indy.

Two-thirds of adults and one in three children are overweight or obese.

Take Garden on the Go – bringing a truck full of affordable, fresh produce into inner city neighborhoods every day.

Or HealthNet – providing free, one-on-one nutrition counseling in seven low-income neighborhoods around the city. Last year, we helped over 1,000 people take control of their diet and begin making healthy choices on a budget.

These are just two of many initiatives that are under way to make Indy a healthier place to live. Sign up our e-newsletter for regular updates!

Learn more about how YOU can stay healthy on a budget, and how you can help others in Indy do the same!