The Spanish NAOS Pyramid shows the different food groups, classified for recommended frequency of consumption. In the same level – what means same frequency – you can see diverse types of physical activities as walking, cycling, swimming, playing, climbing stairs, walking dogs, etc.

It is the first Pyramid to include such recommendations frequencies, both for nutrition and for physical activity, merging them in a single picture to encourage food habits and lifestyle in line with the Mediterranean Diet.  The objectives are to foster physical activity to improve health and prevent obesity.

The Spanish Food Safety Agency has created the NAOS pyramid, a easy understandable version of the  Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in which includes the exercise and the sports. It is has been displayed at schools, restaurants, homes, etc.

The translations of the Spanish words are:

In the red part:

Ocasionalmente= occasionally

In the orange part:

Cada semana= Every week
Varias veces= Several times
All together: Several times a week

In the green part:

Cada día= Daily
Varias veces= Several times
All together: Several times a day

In the blue part:

Bebe + Agua= Drink more water (Around 2 liters. This is found in a separate recommendation)
Estilo de Vida Saludable= Healthy Life Style

At the right side of the pyramid, you can see the physical activities frequencies:

Occasionally = Dedicate little time to sedentary activities like watching TV, playing with video games or using the computer.

Several times a week= practice a sport or activity several times a week,  such as gymnastics, swimming, tennis, athletics or team sports.

Daily= Perform every day for at least 30 minutes some moderate physical activity. It can be walking, going to work or school, taking the dog for a walk or climbing the stairs instead of using the elevator or using the mechanic stairs.

The Spanish authorities are worried about the progressive abandon of the Mediterranean Diet by the youth . Children has been found in a recent survey as the third more obese in the World, after USA and UK ones. New food habits as junk food, TV massive advertised candies, sweets and refreshments, and a lack of exercise and sports are ruining the millenarian Mediterranean Diet.




To fight against this problem and preserve the Mediterranean Diet, several measures are been taken:

1) Parents information campaign about the advantages of the Mediterranean Diet
2) Parents information about nutrition and food label understanding.
3) Teacher’s instructions to teach children how to follow the mediterranean diet
4) Intensify the sports
5) Control the schools menus to make them follow a well balance Mediterranean Diet
6) Teach the children to eat more vegetables, salads and fruits. Five pieces or servings of fruits a day is recommended by the Mediterranean Diet.
7) Make the children forget candies and sweets desserts except in special occasions (birthdays, etc)
8) Ban all trans fat (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats). They are Mediterranean Diet “terrorist”
9) Use virgin olive oil as much as possible. It is the base of the mmediterranean diet
10) Do not reuse the oil to fry more than two or three times. Trans fats are created in this process.
11) Control of the publicity to ban harmful products for children
12) Stop to the artificial drinks and not natural fruit juices. Better have the fruit piece instead that the juice.
13) Reduce the meat and meat products consumption and increase the fish intake, specially the fat ones (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, tuna, salmon, etc). They are rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
14) Try to make the Spanish population conscious of the importance of the Mediterranean Diet. If the Unesco considers it Patrimony of Mankind, many people will become aware of a Diet tested during thousands of years.

Explanation of the picture in the-naos-pyramid

Dont forget:

mediterranean diet

helps people live longer, healthier and without any doubt, happier lives.