Food Guide Pyramid

Food Guide Pyramid

n.

A food pyramid devised by the US Department of Agriculture in 1992, in which grains and cereals represent the base beneath layers for fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products, and fats and sweets at the peak.

---

food,

n the ingested solids and liquids that supply the body with nutrients and energy.

food additives,

n.pl substances that are added to foods to prevent spoilage, improve appearance, enhance the flavor or texture, or increase the nutritional value.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA),

n.pr an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for the enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other statutes as assigned.

food, comminution of

n the reduction of food into small parts.

food debris,

n the particles of food remaining in the oral cavity after eating, which collect in tooth crevices and between the teeth and may contribute to the formation of dental caries. See also materia alba.

Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD &C),

n.pr legislation passed in 1906 dealing with import and export activity as well as the enforcement of packaging and labeling requirements of all food, drug, and cosmetic commerce within the United States.

food frequency checklist,

n a tool used by individuals to determine how often they are ingesting certain types of foods. Consists of a list of various foods from all food groups and a grid allowing for a range of answers, from never to five or more times per day. See also diet.

food gorging,

n the rapid ingestion of large amounts of food; stuffing; in bulemia, gorging is alternated with purging as a weight-maintenance regimen.

Food Guide Pyramid,

n.pr a graphic list issued and endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services; outlines recommendations for a healthy, balanced diet. Through the illustration of a three-dimensional triangle, it divides daily diet choices according to recommended frequency of ingestion.

food impaction,

n See impaction, food.

food, physical character of,

n the consistency, as the firmness, viscosity, or density, of food substances. Soft, adhesive, and nonabrasive foods tend to cling to the teeth, which may lead to calculus formation, whereas coarse foods leave little debris and create a frictional effect on the tissues, thus cleansing them.

food record,

n a manually recorded history of an individual's dietary intake over a 24-hour period; subsequently analyzed by a dental hygienist in order to help correct any nutritional imbalances.