The Agriculture Department hopes new food recommendations unveiled today will help us raise a healthy crop of children. News Specialist Carole Mikita reports on the first-ever food guidelines targeting the junior set.

One-fourth of American children are considered overweight, according to the American Dietetic Association.

So the U.S. Department of Agriculture is stepping in to reverse the trend.

Today it issued a food pyramid for children aged two through six.

The nutritional advice does not differ from the original food pyramid. But the new guide features bright colors, graphics of children exercising, foods they like to eat and materials they can understand.

It advises children to eat variety of foods such as fruits and vegetables. And get enough calcium, protein and fiber.

But the guide urges kids to lay off products containing a high percentage of fats and sugars, like sodas and cookies.

The American Dietetic Association welcomes the government guidelines.

Edith Howard Hogan, of the Association, says, "This is a very good tool that caregivers, parents can use to help make choices that will make a difference in their children's health."

But some criticize the guide for simplifying too much-- showing symbols like a glass of milk, hamburgers, and ice cream, sources of saturated fat-- as things to eat.