conduct human feeding studies to determine the effects of soy protein in reducing risk factors for heart disease and cancer. The results will help determine if inclusion of soy protein in the diet has beneficial effects on chronic disease occurrence.

expand the understanding of changing needs for nutrients that occurs throughout the life cycle. Studies will be conducted to determine the relationship between diet and bone health, cognitive and neurological development, and the factors, such as energy intake and energy expenditure that lead to obesity in children.

examine the biological activity of phytonutrients which have been shown to have antioxidant activity and may be protective against the development of certain chronic diseases.

identify sensitive biomarkers that can be used as indicators of nutritional status in humans for monitoring the physiological and biochemical factors that are influenced by foods and food components that are indicative of health status.

determine the effects of diet on the immune system and the mechanism by which diet alters the immune system. The results will lead to dietary recommendations that can reduce the incidence of immune related diseases.

$1,650,000 to update the National Nutrient Databank.

$950,000 to develop food composition methods.

$1,750,000 to determine healthy body weight.

$3,600,000 to research the role of nutrition in bone growth and maintenance.

$3,000,000 to develop biomarkers of nutritional status.

$2,425,000 to examine cognition and brain function.

$2,175,000 to research diet and immune function.

$1,300,000 to research the role of nutrition throughout the life cycle.

$400,000 to examine dietary survey methodology.

conduct a study of the validity of 24-hour recall questionnaires conducted both in person and by telephone. Although the costly in-person interview to obtain dietary information is assumed to be the most accurate indicator of dietary consumption, this will be the first test of its validity and comparison with less costly telephone interviews.

work with the National Center for Health Statistics to combine the dietary portions of the USDA•s Continuing Survey of Food Intakes with DHHS• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This will eliminate duplication, reduce costs, and allow for the first time linkage of data on food intake with parameters of health status.

develop accurate procedures for the measurement of flavonoids in foods. The importance of flavonoids as antioxidants in the diet is of increasing interest as is the ability to identify them from various plant sources.

work with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to obtain data from a fully merged dietary intake survey. ARS will obtain survey data and begin to process information obtained from this single survey. It will also provide dietary expertise to complement the medical expertise of NCHS.

develop new food composition methods for isolating phytonutrients. This is important for identifying new plant components which may have human health benefits.

update the National Nutrient Database. This database, which must be kept current, provides researchers and policymakers with information about nutrients the American population is consuming.

determine the bioavailability of specific food carotenoids and their response in plasma tissue. Since nutrient bioavailability can differ between plant species, it is important to know which ones contain the most available nutrients.

determine which plant varieties have increased mineral content with potential beneficial effects on human health. Identification of plant varieties with potentially increased nutrient content can greatly affect dietary recommendations and aid at-risk populations.

develop and introduce value added fruit and vegetable germplasm with enhanced phytonutrient content. These value added cultivars will contribute to improved human health and nutritional status. Candidate releases include carotenoid enriched tomato and carrot breeding lines and calcium enriched broccoli germplasm.

determine the bioavailability of minerals in cultivars of beans and rice which increases the knowledge about varieties that are good sources of minerals.

develop methods to maximize the yield of specific phytonutrients in agricultural production through the use of specific cultivars and/or cultivation practices.