USDA Food Pyramid

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The US Department of Agriculture has finally listened to the overwhelming evidence regarding healthy eating and has updated its food pyramid. The one I remember as a kid, which until now didn't change for at least 40 years, had desserts at the top of the pyramid and was it grains at the bottom? I never understood why they would have included sugar and desserts at all in the first place. As much as I enjoy them, as a country we eat way too much. The new pyramid emphasizes the importance of exercise (the figure walking up the stairs on the pyramid's left side) as well as lean meats, whole grains, and lots of vegetables. Taking a cue the websites of popular diet programs, at the USDA's Food Pyramid website you can even come up with a custom plan for the foods you should eat, based on age, gender, and exercise level, as well as track your food intake and activity levels.