White Paper

White Paper

Nutrition monitoring, or the tracking of what Americans eat, is done jointly between the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services using a survey known as the Integrated National Nutrition Survey.[1]  Funding for the Integrated National Nutrition Survey has not kept pace with rising costs and inflation.  As a result, the Integrated National Nutrition Survey may soon be unable to provide the critical information on what Americans are consuming that is vital to private business, academia and many federal programs.   

Most experts agree that a minimum 5,000-person sample with two days of dietary recall is required to provide the level of certainty needed to have useful data.  This process entails re-interviewing people on what they have eaten recently.  It is generally done one to two weeks after initial screening.  While the initial screening is done in person, the recall is done by phone to obtain additional dietary intake information that is critical to understand “usual” patterns of consumption.  Most of the cost of the survey is in the development of the techniques and methodologies employed.  If the sample size is too low, or if the second day of phone interviews is eliminated, the data will become less reliable. 

Without adequate funding to carry out these basic USDA nutrition-monitoring activities, several activities that rely on this information are put at risk.  Without a reliable benchmark of what Americans usually eat, the following are jeopardized:

  • Identifying sub-populations that might be at risk of intentional or unintentional contaminants (i.e., food additives, food-borne illnesses, or pesticides).
  • Developing a targeted WIC package that meets the needs of a growing diverse constituency.
  • Determining the Thrifty Food Plan that forms the basis for food stamp benefits.
  • Identifying specific groups at-risk of malnutrition and diet-related diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and cancer, diabetes to implement effective public health programs targeting the most nutritionally vulnerable individuals.
  • Analyzing non-typical foods, phytochemicals and other health promoting components in our food supply that enhance the world- renowned USDA food composition database.
  • Creating and enhancing nutrition education and marketing campaigns, such as the National 5-A-Day for Better Health Program.
  • Formulating nutrition labeling policies and monitoring food fortification programs, such as the effectiveness of the folate fortification program.

ADA urges the Congress to provide the necessary funding within both the USDA and HHS budgets to support the Integrated National Nutrition Survey.

[1] The Integrated National Nutrition Survey is the combination of two surveys:  The Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CFSII) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).