Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182384
Title: THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) IN PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION

Author
item McCabe Sellers, Beverly
item Bogle, Margaret

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2005
Publication Date: 1/10/2006
Citation: Mccabe Sellers, B.J., Bogle, M.L. 2006. The role of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in public health nutrition. In: Edelstein, S.Nutrition in Public Health, A Handbook for Developing Programs and Services. 2nd edition. Sudbury,MA: Jones and Bartlett. p. 267-292.

Interpretive Summary: This book chapter provides an overview of the major agencies and programs through which the United States Department of Agriculture provides research data on human nutrition and offers food assistance to one out of every five Americans. The Agricultural Research Service provides food composition data essential to study the role of nutrition and health, conducts clinical trials about the relationship between nutrition and health, demonstrates how rural communities and minority populations can have health improved through nutrition, and provides the basis of recommendations pertaining to specific foods for health promotion and disease prevention. The Food and Nutrition Consumer Service oversees the Food Stamp Program, School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, Summer Feeding Program, and other assistance program. The Economic Research Service provides the statistical analysis for program evaluation within the food assistance programs, food marketing, and other economic and environmental factors affecting the food supply. The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion evaluates research data and makes policy recommendations such as the materials defining and illustrating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans jointly designed by USDA and HHS.

Technical Abstract: Abstract: This book chapter describes the major agencies within USDA that contribute to the practice of public health nutrition; identifies the primary USDA programs that provide food assistance and nutrition education; discusses the agencies whose roles are to provide research data to support human nutrition in public health; discusses the major vehicles by which USDA agencies contribute to nutrition policy and promotion of health; and outlines the historical perspectives of nutrition education within the USDA. The chapter describes the major areas of research being conducted by the six USDA, ARS Human Nutrition Research Centers and the Lower Mississippi Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (NIRI). The Cooperative Research, Education, and Extension Service has a major presence in rural communities. The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) develops nutrition education recommendations, materials, and illustrations for public policy and health promotion. Fifty-one references are providing publications and web sites used to document the various roles and contributions of the USDA in public health nutrition.