The Origins of the Confusion
Many online discussions and concerns about MyPlate's future stemmed from the shutdown of a popular, third-party calorie-tracking application, also named MyPlate. This app was owned by LiveStrong, which was later acquired by another company. When this app was discontinued on July 9, 2023, many users, including those in online communities like Reddit, were left searching for alternatives and mistakenly believed the official government program was ending. It is crucial to distinguish this commercial app from the official educational program provided by the U.S. government.
What is the Official MyPlate Program?
The official MyPlate program is an icon and a set of resources developed by the USDA to communicate the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in a simple, visual format. It was introduced in 2011, replacing the more complex Food Pyramid, to offer a clearer, meal-by-meal approach to portioning. The icon itself depicts a plate divided into four food groups—fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins—with a smaller circle for dairy on the side.
The guidelines encourage filling half the plate with fruits and vegetables, and the other half with grains and proteins. This visual model serves as a foundation for understanding balanced meals, with a wealth of supporting information on the myplate.gov website.
The Evolution of Official Dietary Guidance
The official MyPlate program is not a static concept but evolves in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are updated every five years. This ensures that the advice remains current with the latest scientific research. The transition from the Food Pyramid to MyPlate reflected a change in how dietary advice was communicated to the public, moving towards a more practical and understandable plate-based visual. Critics of the older Food Pyramid, such as those at UAB Medicine, noted that it was often based on outdated information and was more complicated to follow.
MyPlate's Key Principles
- Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables: This simple visual reminder emphasizes the importance of these nutrient-dense food groups in every meal.
- Focus on Whole Fruits: The guidelines recommend consuming whole or cut-up fruits, rather than relying on fruit juices, which often contain added sugars.
- Vary Your Veggies: A variety of vegetables provides a wider range of vitamins and minerals, and MyPlate encourages including different types and colors.
- Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains: The program specifies that at least 50% of your daily grain intake should come from whole-grain sources.
- Vary Your Protein Routine: MyPlate suggests choosing a mix of protein sources, including lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, and nuts.
- Move to Low-Fat or Fat-Free Dairy: For dairy, the guidance points towards low-fat options, including fortified soy alternatives.
Continued Relevance and Criticism
While some critics, including nutrition professionals and institutions like Harvard, have pointed out limitations, MyPlate continues to be a relevant and widely used tool. Some critiques include its simplicity, which may not offer enough detail on healthy vs. unhealthy choices within food groups (e.g., whole grains vs. refined grains, lean protein vs. high-fat protein). Others argue that it can foster a "clean your plate" mentality and ignore bodily cues, or that its dairy recommendation is unnecessary for some. Despite these points, MyPlate’s strength lies in its easy-to-understand visual format, which makes core healthy eating principles accessible to a broad audience. It’s used as a teaching tool by many health practitioners.
MyPlate vs. LiveStrong App: A Comparison
| Feature | Official USDA MyPlate Program | LiveStrong MyPlate App (Discontinued) |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Formerly LiveStrong, then sold to Graham Holding Company |
| Purpose | Educational icon and resource for understanding dietary guidelines | Calorie and macro tracking application |
| Status | Active and continually updated | Discontinued on July 9, 2023 |
| Platform | Website (myplate.gov), app ('Start Simple with MyPlate') | Third-party app (Web and mobile) |
| Focus | Visual guidance for balanced meals and food groups | Data logging and tracking of intake |
| Data | Based on the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans | User-generated entries and branded database |
Conclusion
To definitively answer the question, Is MyPlate shutting down?—No, the official U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate program is not shutting down. The confusion arose from the 2023 closure of a similarly named, third-party calorie-tracking app. The official MyPlate program continues to be a cornerstone of federal nutrition education, offering a simple yet effective visual guide for a balanced diet. The platform on myplate.gov provides extensive resources, tools, and personalized plans to help Americans make healthier eating choices based on the latest Dietary Guidelines. Users seeking reliable, government-backed nutrition information should turn to this official source, rather than the defunct app that caused the recent speculation.
