Media Advisory:

Final Report of Dietary Guidelines Committee Available for Public Comment

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18--The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announce in today's Federal Register that the final Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is available for public comment.

The guidelines are updated every five years to incorporate the evolving scientific knowledge about how dietary intake affects human health.

The report, containing the proposed content of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as discussion on proposed changes and other recommendations, is available on the Internet at:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/dgac

It is also available for review at the Reference Section of the National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville, Md. For directions, call (301) 504-5755.

Those interested in commenting on the report may submit written comments on or before March 15, 2000, to the names and addresses below. The committee will also accept oral comments at a public meeting March 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To give oral comments, presenters must preregister by 5 p.m., March 7, giving the name and affiliation (if applicable) of the presenter, source of funding and contact phone number. Call Kathryn McMurry at (202) 205-4872 or fax her at (202) 205-0463 with the information. No registration is necessary to attend the meeting as an observer.

The meeting will be held in the Jefferson Auditorium of USDA's South Building, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. The building is adjacent to the Smithsonian Metro station at the Independence Ave. exit.

For more information and to submit written comments, contact both:

• Shanthy Bowman, Ph.D.
  USDA-ARS, Bldg. 005, Rm. 125, BARC-W
  1300 Baltimore Blvd.
  Beltsville, MD 20705-2350.
  Phone: (301) 504-0619
• Kathryn McMurry, M.S.
  DHHS-ODPHP, Room 738-G
  200 Independence Ave., S.W.
  Washington, DC 20201
  Phone (202) 205-4872