For thousands of years, people living in the countries around the Mediterranean have eaten a 'poor' diet of vegetables, fruit, nuts, cheese and fish, but very little red meat and sugar.So, in 1993, a group of experts in the United States drew up an eating plan and a pyramid graphic to encourage healthy eating.Experts have known for decades that this diet is the one we should all be following, since it leads to a healthier population with a longer life expectancy.It focuses not just on food, but

also on how you eat your meals - sharing with

your family and friends, and on taking part in

a variety of physical activities and making sure

you get enough sleep.The diet is divided into different food groups

and the pyramid shows how often the foods

in each group should be eaten.The base of the

pyramid contains the food that we should eat

more of, as they are the healthiest and more likely to lead to good health throughout your life.This group consists of food from plants, such as vegetables, fruit, bread, beans, nuts and seeds, and should be eaten every day.