On Wednesday, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced a new, inverted food pyramid that prioritizes many foods that were formerly demonized under prior guidance. 

The new pyramid reveals an upside-down triangle with nutrient-dense items like meat, cheese, and vegetables like broccoli and carrots at the top, the broadest portion of the graphic. The next row features items like whole milk, salmon, berries and other vegetables along with butter, eggs, and avocado. At the bottom, the narrowest portion of the inverted-pyramid shows items like whole grains and other bread products. 

Designed in 1916 to address deficiencies of that time, evolved

In its infancy in 1916, the food pyramid was produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and organized recommendations around food groups to combat deficiencies common at the time. In the 1940s, amid World War II rationing, the "Basic Seven" food groups were introduced, and were later simplified in the 1950s to the "Basic Four," consisting of fruits/vegetables, milk, meat and cereals/breads.

In the 1970s, chronic diseases like heart disease and obesity were rising, shifting dietary focus to moderation. In 1984 the "Food Wheel" introduced a total diet approach with five groups, calorie-level adjustments, and moderation goals, serving as a precursor to the pyramid.

The iconic food guide pyramid was introduced in 1992, visualizing recommendations with grains at the base (6–11 servings daily), followed by vegetables (3–5) and fruits (2–4), then dairy (2–3) and proteins like meat/eggs (2–3) with fats, oils and sugar at the narrow tip to consume sparingly.

One of the most prominent criticisms of the pyramid was that it was allegedly influenced by corporations Kellogg, Kraft and General Mills, along with other agribusinesses. This stemmed from the USDA's dual mandate of promoting U.S. agriculture (including subsidies for crops, like wheat and corn), while advising on nutrition, creating inherent conflicts. 

The companies have generally challenged those claims. 

These companies, which were major producers of grain-based cereals and processed foods, exerted influence indirectly through this grain emphasis, as the pyramid's base directly boosted demand for their products. 

These firms lobbied via trade groups and aligned businesses on social media, funded favorable research, and held ties to nutrition bodies. For example, General Mills announced in 2005 that it would feature the updated pyramid on millions of cereal boxes to promote it. 

Updated every five years

Broader patterns show their impact: 95% of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines' committee had industry ties, with over half linked to 30+ actors including Kellogg, Kraft (which owns Post brands), and General Mills. They also donated millions to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, influencing professional guidelines. Critics claim "Big Food" skewed science toward carbs and away from fats/proteins, aligning with subsidized crops and profitable processed goods, though the companies maintain their involvement supports evidence-based nutrition.

The new guidelines have been a long time coming. Health-conscious advocates, nutritionists, and critics like Harvard's Walter Willett and former USDA insiders such as Luise Light have been lobbying and publicly pushing for decades to overhaul the grain-heavy food pyramid due to its reported corporate influences and links to rising obesity and chronic diseases.

The guidelines are updated every five years, so administrations past and future have had or will have the opportunity to make changes.