Tearing down the Food Pyramid

The USDA is set to unveil a new nutritional shape to better reflect the department's updated nutritional guidelines. The previous Food Pyramid (pyramid!), which illustated a suggested diet that was essentially low-fat and moderate- to high-carb, will be tossed for a new shape that the USDA hopes will help guide Americans toward healthier habits and slimmer waistlines.

According to this Reuters article, some of the shapes suggested are other geometric standards, such as circles or squares, or the creative, such as floating balloons. Somehow, a Food Balloon might strike a tad too close to home for the growing proportion of the country's grossly obese. The new symbol is expected to be released April 19 in the U.S.