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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Surveys Research Group » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #273985
Title: Federal monitoring activities related to food and nutritian: How do they compare?

Author
item Ahuja, Jaspreet
item JUAN, W - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item EGAN, SK - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item BUZBY, JEAN - Economic Research Serivce (ERS, USDA)
item TRUMBO, PR - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Moshfegh, Alanna
item HOLDEN, JOANNE - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Procedia Food Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2012
Publication Date: 5/29/2013
Citation: Ahuja, J.K., Juan, W., Egan, S., Buzby, J., Trumbo, P., Moshfegh, A.J., Holden, J. 2013. Federal monitoring activities related to food: How do they compare?. Procedia Food Science. 2:165-171.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Several monitoring activities related to food are carried out by the Federal Government in the United States. These include the What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES), conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Total Diet Study (TDS), conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Nutrient Content of the U.S. Food Supply Data compiled by USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, using USDA’s Economic Research Service’s Food Availability data. The intent, purpose, and methodology of each listed monitoring activity, and their inter-relationships were examined. Mean intakes of selected nutrients common to the datasets were determined. For instance, the mean (SE) calcium intake for all individuals over 2 years of age for 2007-2008 based on WWEIA, NHANES is 946 (20.2) mg/day and based on the TDS is 816 (16.2) mg/day. The mean availability of calcium is 960 mg/day based on the Nutrient Availability data (2006). The reasons for the differences will be discussed. These nutrition monitoring activities provide useful information to policymakers and researchers for examining nutrient adequacy, dietary trends, and tracking nutrition and health objectives, to name a few. It is important to keep in consideration the intent and purpose of these datasets when comparing results.