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Tag Archives: nutrition
Take 5: Top Books on Food and Nutrition
Got food and nutrition fans on your holiday shopping list? Take five and check out our top gift ideas. NAP books and merchandise make thoughtful gifts for thinking people.
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Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies
Childhood obesity is a serious health problem that has adverse and long-lasting consequences for individuals, families, and communities. The magnitude of the problem has increased dramatically during the last three decades and, despite some indications of a… |
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Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D are essential nutrients for the human body. Establishing the levels of these nutrients that are needed by the North American population is based on the understanding of the health outcomes that calcium and vitamin D affect. It is also… |
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Child and Adult Care Food Program: Aligning Dietary Guidance for All
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally-funded program designed to provide healthy meals and snacks to children and adults while receiving day care at participating family day care homes, traditional child care centers, afterschool… |
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Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines
As women of childbearing age have become heavier, the trade-off between maternal and child health created by variation in gestational weight gain has become more difficult to reconcile. Weight Gain During Pregnancy responds to the need for a… |
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Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States
Reducing the intake of sodium is an important public health goal for Americans. Since the 1970s, an array of public health interventions and national dietary guidelines has sought to reduce sodium intake. However, the U.S. population still consumes more… |
FREE FROM NAP: December 2010
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Examination of Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols: Phase I Report
The federal government requires that most packaged foods carry a standardized label–the Nutrition Facts panel–that provides nutrition information intended to help consumers make healthful choices. In recent years, manufacturers have begun to include… |
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The Power of Renewables: Opportunities and Challenges for China and the United States
The United States and China are the world’s top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world’s clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely… |
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High School Dropout, Graduation, and Completion Rates: Better Data, Better Measures, Better Decisions
High school graduation and dropout rates have long been used as indicators of educational system productivity and effectiveness and of social and economic well being. While determining these rates may seem like a straightforward task, their calculation is in… |
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The Role of Human Factors in Home Health Care: Workshop Summary
The rapid growth of home health care has raised many unsolved issues and will have consequences that are far too broad for any one group to analyze in their entirety. Yet a major influence on the safety, quality, and effectiveness of home health care will be… |
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Strengthening the National Institute of Justice
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the nation’s primary resource for advancing scientific research, development, and evaluation on crime and crime control and the administration of justice in the United States. Headed by a presidentially appointed… |
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The 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Campaign: Summary of a Workshop Series
The 2009 H1N1 vaccination campaign was one of the largest public health campaigns in U.S. history, vaccinating one-quarter of the population in the first three months. The IOM held three workshops in Raleigh, NC; Austin, TX; and Seattle, WA to learn from… |
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When Weather Matters: Science and Service to Meet Critical Societal Needs
The past 15 years have seen marked progress in observing, understanding, and predicting weather. At the same time, the United States has failed to match or surpass progress in operational numerical weather prediction achieved by other nations and failed to… |
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Research Priorities for Assessing Health Effects from the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: A Letter Report
It is as yet uncertain how the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will affect the health of clean-up workers and volunteers, residents, and visitors in the Gulf. The IOM recommends that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services focus on researching psychological… |
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Transforming Clinical Research in the United States: Challenges and Opportunities: Workshop Summary
An ideal health care system relies on efficiently generating timely, accurate evidence to deliver on its promise of diminishing the divide between clinical practice and research. There are growing indications, however, that the current health care system and… |
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Critical Code: Software Producibility for Defense
Critical Code contemplates Department of Defense (DoD) needs and priorities for software research and suggests a research agenda and related actions. Building on two prior books–Summary of a Workshop on Software Intensive Systems and… |
Take 5: Top 5 Books on Public Health and Nutrition
The scientists on your list may not always be the easiest people to shop for during the holidays. It should come as no surprise that we have recommendations. Take five and finish your holiday shopping with our most-recommended books for the health professional in your life.
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Women’s Health Research: Progress, Pitfalls, and Promise Even though slightly over half of the U.S. population is female, medical research historically has neglected the health needs of women. However, over the past two decades, there have been major changes in government support of women’s health research…  |
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Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and PossibilitiesMental health and substance use disorders among children, youth, and young adults are major threats to the health and well-being of younger populations which often carryover into adulthood. The costs of treatment… |
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Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce As the first of the nation’s 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a health care workforce that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs. Retooling for an Aging America calls for… |
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Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance Children’s health has made tremendous strides over the past century. In general, life expectancy has increased by more than thirty years since 1900 and much of this improvement is due to the reduction of infant and early childhood mortality. Given this… |
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Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient RequirementsWidely regarded as the classic reference work for the nutrition, dietetic, and allied health professions since its introduction in 1943, Recommended Dietary Allowances has been the accepted source in nutrient allowances for healthy people. Responding to the expansion of scientific … |
PDFs, Video, and Podcasts on Nutrition and Health
The research concerning what foods to eat and how much is not new. So why are Americans still indulging in unhealthy habits? What can be done to help the general public understand and act on the findings of researchers and nutritionists?
We’ve put together a collection of free resources to address these questions.
Free PDFs
School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children Ensuring that the food provided to children in schools is consistent with current dietary recommendations is an important national focus. Various laws and regulations govern the operation of school meal programs. In 1995, Nutrition Standards and Meal Requirements were put… 
Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity The prevalence of childhood obesity is so high in the United States that it may reduce the life expectancy of today’s generation of children. While parents and other adult caregivers play a fundamental role in teaching children about healthy behaviors… 
Childhood Obesity Prevention in Texas: Workshop Summary Childhood Obesity Prevention in Texas summarizes the information gathered at a workshop held February 5-6, 2009, in Austin, Texas. At this workshop, committee members met with Texas lawmakers, public officials, and community leaders to exchange ideas and to view first-hand… 
Joint U.S.-Mexico Workshop on Preventing Obesity in Children and Youth of Mexican Origin: Summary The Joint U.S.-Mexico Workshop on Preventing Obesity in Children and Youth of Mexican Origin was initiated by a desire to share experiences regarding the problem of obesity in children and youth of Mexican…
Adequacy of Evidence for Physical Activity Guidelines Development: Workshop Summary Is there a sufficient evidence base for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a comprehensive set of physical activity guidelines for Americans? To address this question, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) held a workshop titled… Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines As women of childbearing age have become heavier, the trade-off between maternal and child health created by variation in gestational weight gain has become more difficult to reconcile. Weight Gain During Pregnancy responds to the need for a reexamination of… 
The Public Health Effects of Food Deserts: Workshop Summary In the United States, people living in low-income neighborhoods frequently do not have access to affordable healthy food venues, such as supermarkets. Instead, those living in “food deserts” must rely on convenience stores and small neighborhood stores that offer few… Free Video
Public Policy in Nutrition: Where Does Science Fit in? Discover the science behind public policy in nutrition from the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to the Dietary Guidelines to green “smart” checkmarks and health claims on food packaging. How science-based are the recommendations and who makes the decisions?
Presenter: Joanne Lupton (IOM), Texas A&M University
Test Your Tongue: The Science of Taste A leading expert in taste and a popular food writer look at our understanding of the science of taste and the chemical underpinnings of flavors and foods. Learn about your own tastebuds by sampling miracle fruit, artichokes, fruit strips, and more!
Presenters: Linda Bartoshuk, University of Florida and Harold McGee, New York Times
Elixir of Life: Wine and Health
Wine grapes are one of the major human food crops, and there is now overwhelming evidence that drinking wine in moderation is beneficial to human health. But why did only one particular species of Vitis become used for wine-making — out of more than 30 existing species? The DNA sequence of a Pinot Noir variety of Vitis vinifera was published in 2007 and a comparison with other varieties is under way. Will we soon be drinking genetically-engineered “designer” wines?
Presenter: Francisco Ayala, University of California, Irvine
The Future of Chocolate on Earth
Explore the science of chocolate, from the role of cocoa in protecting tropical rainforests, to its surprising potential to improve cardiovascular health. Learn how food technology manipulates cocoa to create the sensory experience of some of your favorite chocolate brands during a tasting at the dessert reception.
Presenter: Harold Schmitz
Free Audio
School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children[audio:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/podcasts/soundsofscience/~3/4yQ3ENSpzTY/nax96schoolmeals.mp3]Download This Episode
This podcast provides a historical overview of the emergence of school meal programs and provides recommendations to update the nutrition standard and the meal requirements for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The recommendations reflect new developments in nutrition science, increase the availability of key food groups in the school meal programs, and allow these programs to better meet the nutritional needs of children, foster healthy eating habits, and safeguard children’s health. Visit the IOM report page.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy: How Much is Too Much?[audio:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/podcasts/soundsofscience/~3/TgH1FO2EmTs/nax90weightgain.mp3]Download This Episode
As women of childbearing age have become heavier, the trade-off between maternal and child health created by variation in gestational weight gain has become more difficult to reconcile. The Weight Gain During Pregnancy podcast looks at some of the key findings and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine report. Visit the IOM report page.
A Salmon A Day: Balancing the Benefits and Risks of Seafood[audio:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/podcasts/soundsofscience/~3/TtqdJ5LRrNU/nax23seafoodcho.mp3]Download This Episode
The fragmented information that consumers receive about the nutritional value and health risks associated with fish and shellfish can result in confusion or misperceptions about these food sources. This episode looks at the available research and provides listeners with tips and guidelines when choosing seafood. Read the report online and visit the IOM report page.
Free from NAP: Thirteen PDFs To Download
Once a month we collect all the free resources available at your disposal and send an e-mail to our subscriber list (if you’re not already subscribed, subscribe here). Today’s e-mail had far too many free PDFs to include, but to make sure everyone can conveniently find all the new free PDFs we have to offer, here is the complete list:
Understanding Climate’s Influence on Human Evolution The hominin fossil record documents a history of critical evolutionary events that have ultimately shaped and defined what it means to be human, including the origins of bipedalism; the emergence of our genus Homo; the first use of stone tools; increases in… 
Envisioning the 2020 Census Planning for the 2020 census is already beginning. This book from the National Research Council examines several aspects of census planning, including questionnaire design, address updating, non-response follow-up, coverage follow-up, de-duplication of… 
An Enabling Foundation for NASA’s Space and Earth Science Missions NASA’s space and Earth science program is composed of two principal components: spaceflight projects and mission-enabling activities. Most of the budget of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is applied to spaceflight missions, but NASA identifies nearly… 
Infectious Disease Movement in a Borderless World: Workshop Summary Modern transportation allows people, animals, and plants–and the pathogens they carry–to travel more easily than ever before. The ease and speed of travel, tourism, and international trade connect once-remote areas with one another, eliminating many of the… 
Grand Challenges of Our Aging Society: Workshop SummaryAging populations are generating both challenges and opportunities for societies around the globe. Increases in longevity and improvements in health raise many questions. What steps can be taken to optimize physical and cognitive health and productivity…
Information Assurance for Network-Centric Naval ForcesOwing to the expansion of network-centric operating concepts across the Department of Defense (DOD) and the growing threat to information and cybersecurity from lone actors, groups of like-minded actors, nation-states, and malicious insiders, information…
Mitigating the Nutritional Impacts of the Global Food Price Crisis: Workshop SummaryIn 2007 and 2008, the world witnessed a dramatic increase in food prices. The global financial crisis that began in 2008 compounded the burden of high food prices, exacerbating the problems of hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The tandem food…
Revitalizing NASA’s Suborbital Program: Advancing Science, Driving Innovation, and Developing a Workforce Suborbital flight activities, including the use of sounding rockets, aircraft, and high-altitude balloons, and suborbital reusable launch vehicles, offer valuable opportunities to advance science, train the next generation of scientists and engineers, and… 
Promoting Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security in Developing Countries There is growing concern about the possible use of toxic industrial chemicals or other hazardous chemicals by those seeking to perpetrate acts of terrorism. The U.S. Chemical Security Engagement Program (CSP), funded by the U.S. Department of State and run by... 
NOAA’s Education Program: Review and Critique There is a national need to educate the public about the ocean, coastal resources, atmosphere and climate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the agency responsible for understanding and predicting changes in the Earth’s… 
Seventeenth Interim Report of the Committee on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels Extremely hazardous substances (EHSs) can be released accidentally as a result of chemical spills, industrial explosions, and other accidents, or intentionally through terrorist activities. Workers and residents in communities surrounding industrial… 
Private-Public Sector Collaboration to Enhance Community Disaster Resilience: A Workshop Report The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) on the United States prompted a rethinking of how the United States prepares for disasters. Federal policy documents written since 9/11 have stressed that the private and public sectors share equal... 
Spectrum Management for Science in the 21st Century Radio observations of the cosmos are gathered by geoscientists using complex earth-orbiting satellites and ground-based equipment, and by radio astronomers using large ground-based radio telescopes. Signals from natural radio emissions are extremely weak, and…