Uncle Sam and the American Diet

Students will compare and contrast two food nutrition guideline posters, determine the intended audience and purpose for each poster and how the Government’s reason for creating the guidelines has changed over time. For grades 7-12.

Prompt students to carefully examine the two posters. Remind them to use the arrows and magnifying glass icons in the blue bar at the bottom of each document to take a closer look, and/or to click “View Primary Source Details” button in the bottom right corner of each document for more information.

Students should answer the questions provided:

• What is the date the poster was created?
• Who is the intended audience? What does the Government hope the audience will do?
• What Government purpose is served by each poster?
• Has the Government’s purpose changed between first poster and second poster?

After discussing their responses, ask students to click the “When You’re Done” button and view the new USDA guidelines by clicking the My Plate link. After looking at the new guidelines, ask them to respond to the following questions:

• What factors do you think changed the Government’s purpose for establishing nutrition guidelines between 1943 to 2011?
• Have the guidelines been effective in changing the American diet?

Follow up with a class discussion of the questions, and about the Government’s role in the American diet.