Clinical Research Dietitians are available to consult with Clinical Center (CC) investigators regarding the planning, design, and implementation of nutrition-related components of proposed research protocols.  Dietitians recommend optimal methodologies to assure valid and reliable data and can assist with data collection, analysis, interpretation, and manuscript preparation. Dietitians advise on the benefit and appropriateness of adding nutrition services to existing research protocols. 

Nutrition Research Services include the following:

• Research Meals
  Purpose: to control food intake as either a constant or a variable to meet protocol needs.
   
• Dietary Intake and Eating Behavior Assessments
  Purpose: to quantify energy and nutrient intake for a defined period of time; to characterize eating behaviors.
   
• Body Composition Analysis
  Purpose: to assess a patient's lean and fat mass. 
   
• Nutrition Counseling
  Purpose: to provide nutrition education and counseling to research subjects as part of protocol requirements.