 |
 |
|
|
USDA: MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF OBESITY
Presented By Dr. Merle Pierson, USDA Deputy Under Secretary For Research, Education, and Economics Presentation presented at:
National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Science
(September 22, 2005) |
 |
 USDA: MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF OBESITY
Dr. Merle Pierson
Deputy Under Secretary
Research, Education, and Economics
|
|
 The American Paradox
It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness.
|
|
 USDA's approach
Food based
Prevention oriented
|
|
 | Changing Factors
Types and prices of food
Serving sizes
Technological advances
Time pressures
Attitudes and knowledge about diet and health
Demographics of the population
Convenience and fast foods
Family and social structures |
|
|
 TradeoffsTasteTimeLong term benefits vs. short term costs(Nutrition side of scale is lower)
|
|
 TradeoffsTasteTimeLong term benefits vs. short term costs(Nutrition side of scale is higher)
|
|
 USDA research program
ERS
$4.6M in fiscal 2005 for data collection
$1.5M for studies on societal costs, dietary quality and nutrition knowledge, and dining out habits
CSREES$17.8M in fiscal 2005 for investigator-initiated grants at Land Grant Universities
|
|
|
 Community Programs
Wellness IN the Rockies (WIN): A community-based research, intervention and outreach project to improve health in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Map of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming showing Land Grant Universities (University of Idaho, Montana State University-Bozeman and University of Wyoming), Demonstrator Communities (Lewiston, Powell and Preston) and Comparator Communities (American Falls, Miles City and Torrington)
|
|
|
 USDA's research program
ARS
Human Nutrition Program
| National-level coordination
Obesity is 1 of 7 research program components
Nutrient requirements, nutrition monitoring |
$19M in fiscal 2005 for obesity
| Shift of existing resources plus new funds have doubled funding for obesity since 2002
6 Human Nutrition Research Centers
Several new scientists hired this year for obesity research |
|
|
|
 | Map of United States showing locations of Nutrition research centers
Western Human Nutrition Research Center, University of California- Davis
Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine
Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University
Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center |
|
|
 | Example of research impact
Study at the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston found middle school students with access to school snack food options chose less-healthy diets
Texas Dept of Ag issued Public School Nutrition Policy using this research as major justification |
|
|
 Prevention education
FNCS-$628M in fiscal 2005
Food and Nutrition Services
| Food assistance programs
Large nutrition education programs
Supports State Nutrition action Plans |
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
| Lead USDA agency on Dietary Guidelines for Americans
MyPyramid and Healthy Eating Index |
National Agricultural Library
Nutrition.gov
Food and Nutrition Information Center
|
|
|
 Partnerships
USDA and HHS partner to produce Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 25 years
Image: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
|
|
 Partnerships
Routine information exchange among program leaders:
USDA Human Nutrition Coordinating Committee
| All USDA agencies represented
Several HHS agencies represented |
NIH Nutrition Coordinating Committee
| All Institutes represented
Other HHS, DoD and USDA agencies represented |
|
|
|
 Partnerships
Nutrition Monitoring
| ARS conducts the dietary component of NHANES for HHS |
National Food and Nutritional Analysis Program
| ARS partners with several HHS agencies |
Alignment of Departmental Strategic Plans
| USDA supports HHS Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing obesity |
|
|
|
 Where do we go from here?
What is not needed?
| Dozens of additional small studies that do not adequately address the problem |
What is needed?
| A large Federal effort analogous to that used to identify effective ways of reducing heart disease |
How can this be achieved?
| USDA obesity prevention initiative |
|
|
|
 | USDA obesity initiative
Study of the efficacy of Dietary Guidelines for Americans to prevent weight gain with intensive intervention
Large, cross-sectional study to identify barriers and motivators to compliance with Dietary Guidelines
Longitudinal cohort study analogous to the Framingham Heart Study to identify risk factors for obesity
Long-term, family-based intervention |
|
|
 A Healthy, Well-Nourished America
|
|
| Last Modified: Tuesday, 03-Apr-2007 14:01:56 EDT |
|
