The shape of healthy eating is about to change for you and your kids. Federal Health Officials are tossing out the food pyramid and replacing it with the plate.

7&4’s Kate Fox has a preview on the new guide that aims to make healthy living easier for your family.

The food guide pyramid has been a symbol of eating right for the last two decades. In 1992 it was first introduced and then replaced in 2005 by "MyPyramid” but officials say it was just too confusing and it's time for an update.

It’s out with the old pyramid and in with the plate.

Grand Traverse Health Department Dietitian Rebecca Prause-Stachnik says, "They tried to use different thickness on the pyramid, it was just confusing. It's obviously been in effective over 1/3 of our children are over weight or obese and over 2/3 of adults so it's definitely time for a change."

The 2010 White House Child Obesity Task Force called for a new, easy to understand government food symbol to give consumers a fast reminder of the basics of a healthy diet.

So officials are dishing up a simple, plate-shaped symbol, sliced into four wedges.  It contains grains, protein, fruits and vegetables.

Next to the plate is a smaller circle for dairy which suggests a glass of low-fat milk or perhaps a yogurt cup.

Prause-Stachnik says, "For kids and adults its something you can easily use, you can see and apply it to what you’re actually putting on your plate."

So what will it the new icon look like? The USDA isn't saying just yet but Robert C. Post, the deputy director of the USDA Center for Nutrition, did offer up some hints.  Post says there will be a "how-to" section with six messages to guide you to healthy living.

Six how-to Messages:

Balancing Colors

          -enjoy your food, but eat less.

           -avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

            -make half your plate fruits and veggies.

            -switch to fat free milk or low fat

Foods to Reduce

            -compare sodium levels in foods-- and choose lower numbers.

            -and drink water instead of sugary drinks

Details about the release:

The announcement will be Thursday, June 2 at 10:30 a.m. EST. It will be live-streamed at www.usda.gov/live. All information will be posted at www.cnpp.usda.gov.

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The government will soon be replacing the food pyramid with a plate shape to help combat obesity.

The 2010 White House Child Obesity Task Force called for simple, actionable advice to equip consumers with information to help them make healthy food choices. As a result, USDA will be introducing the new food icon to replace the MyPyramid image as the government's primary food group symbol.

It will be an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The government is holding the food guideline shape under wraps - but according to some reports the shape will be a circular plate.  When it is unveiled Thursday, it will give consumers a fast, easily grasped reminder of the basics of a healthy diet. It consists of four colored sections, for fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein, according to several people who have been briefed on the change. Beside the plate is a smaller circle for dairy, suggesting a glass of low-fat milk or perhaps a yogurt cup.

You can see a live stream of the announcement Thursday AT 10:30 a.m. by CLICKING HERE.  Following the live stream, any updates will be posted on THIS LINK.

Will you follow the new healthy eating guidelines?  Tell us "Your Point of View" by voting in the poll below and leaving your comments.