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Title: Executive summary: biomarkers of nutrition for development: building a consensus

Author
item RAITEN, DANIEL - National Institutes Of Health (NIH)
item NAMASTE, SORREL - National Institutes Of Health (NIH)
item BRABIN, BERNARD - Liverpool School Of Tropical Medicine
item Combs, Gerald
item L'ABBE, MARY - University Of Toronto
item WASANTWISUT, EMORN - Mahidol University
item DARNTON-HILL, IAN - Tufts University

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2011
Publication Date: 8/1/2011
Citation: Raiten, D.J., Namaste, S., Brabin, B., Combs, G.F., L'Abbe, M.R., Wasantwisut, E., Darnton-Hill, I. 2011. Executive summary: biomarkers of nutrition for development: building a consensus. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 94(2):6335-6505.

Interpretive Summary: The paper presents a summary of the recommendations of an international expert panel convened to address the needs to promote discovery, development and use of biomarkers of nutritional exposure and status in generating evidence-based clinical guidance and effective programs and policies to enhance global health. It also presents a process for harmonizing decision-making by the global health community about which biomarkers are best suited for specific uses, conditions and settings. This information was developed in a conference “Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND): Building a consensus”, hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency with partners including key multilateral, US agencies, public and private organizations. This assembly reached a consensus on the need for a process to inform the community about the relative strengths/weaknesses and specific applications of various biomarkers under defined conditions. This summarizes the deliberations of working groups on Research, Clinical Applications, Policy and Program Implementation as well as harmonization processes, the evidence-base for biomarkers for five case study micronutrients, and new frontiers in science and technology.

Technical Abstract: The ability to develop evidence-based clinical guidance and effective programs and policies to achieve global health promotion and disease prevention goals depends on the availability of valid and reliable data. With specific regard to the role of food and nutrition in achieving those goals, relevant data are developed with the use of biomarkers reflecting nutrient exposure, status and functional effect. A need exists to promote the discovery, development and use of biomarkers across a range of applications. In addition, a process is needed to harmonize the global health community’s decision-making about what biomarkers are best suited for a given use under specific conditions and settings. To address these needs, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, organized a conference “Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND): Building a consensus”, hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Partners included key multilateral, US agencies, public and private organizations. The assembly endorsed the utility of this initiative and need for the BOND project to continue. A consensus was reached on the requirement to develop a process to inform the community about the relative strengths/weaknesses and specific applications of various biomarkers under defined conditions. These proceedings summarize the deliberations of the four Working Groups: research; clinical; policy; and programmatic. Also described are content presentations on: the harmonization processes, the evidence-base for biomarkers for five case study micronutrients, and new frontiers in science and technology.