Nutrition action themes for the United States : a report in response to the International Conference on Nutrition

78 Pages·1996·4 MB·English

by  Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (U.S.)

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

Themes
Nutrition Action
for the United States
A Report in Response to the
International Conference on Nutrition
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURE
Center for Nutrition Policy ond Promotion
CNPP-2
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Nutritioi iternational
Conferei FHealthand
HumanS< lentofAgriculture,
Centerfoi P-2.
Abstrac
Thisrepoi tionandpresents
principlestui^ mcmcs luracmtatetheimprovementofnutrition.Thereportisdividedinto twoparts.
Thefirstfocuseson improvementofnutritionwithintheUnitedStates. Itdescribesthecurrent
situationin theUnitedStates,how nutritionaction isachieved,andthecountry's overall goalsfor
nutritionaction. Thereportdescribes sevenbroadstrategiesthataremeans toachieveahealthierand
moreproductivesociety. The secondpartfocuseson international issuesandreflects theleadership
roleoftheUnitedStatesinsupporting nutritionprograms worldwide.
Keywords: nutrition,foodassistance,foodsafety,breastfeeding, agriculture
Acknowledgments
Thisreport wasajointproductoftheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture (USDA),Department
ofHealthandHuman Services(DHHS)andtheAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID). A
SteeringCommitteecomposedofJayHirschman (USDA),BruceKlein(USDA),JillRandell (USDA),
NeilGallagher(USDA),LindaMeyers (DHHS),KarolBialostosky (DHHS),andEunyong Chung
(US AID) organized, wrote,andeditedthereport.Thanks toBrendaLisi,Marilyn Stephenson,and
the manyothercontributorsfrom thesethreeagenciesandtheEnvironmentalProtection Agency.
Theprivatesector,academia,government, apublichearing,andlettersfrom thepublicprovided
commentsandsuggestionstothereport. BruceKleinandJoanCourtless(USDA) editedthefinal
draft.
TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureprohibitsdiscriminationinitsprogramsonthebasisofrace,color,
nationalorigin,sex,reUgion,age,disability,politicalbeliefs, andmaritalorfamiUalstatus. (Notallprohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of
programinformation(Braille,largeprint,audiotape,etc.)shouldcontacttheUSDAOfficeofCommunications
at [phone]. To file a complaint, write the Secretary ofAgriculture, U.S. Department ofAgriculture,
Washington,DC20250,orcall(202)720-7327(voice)or(202)720-1127(TDD).USDAisanequalemployment
opportunityemployer.
September 1996
Themes
Nutrition Action for
the United States
A
Report in Response to the
International Conference on Nutrition
September 1996

Nutrition Action Themes for the United States
Thepurposeofthisreportistooutlineprinciplesandthemes tofacilitate theimprovement
ofthe U.S. system ofnutrition security (definedbelow) through theendofthe20thcentury
andintothe nextcentury. Itwasdevelopedby theU.S. Government incollaboration with the
privatesectorandinconsideration oforalandwrittenpublic comments.
Thereportrespondstothecommitmentmadeby the 159participatingcountries atthe 1992
InternationalConfCTenceonNutrition(ICN)toprepareorimprovetheirnationalplansofaction,
asappropriate,basedoncertain themesenunciatedin theWorldDeclaration andPlan of
ActionforNutrition (FAO/WHO, 1992).Theseprinciplesandthemesinclude:
1. Incorporatingnutritional objectives, considerations, and components
into development policies and programs;
2. Improving household food security;
3. Protectingconsumers through improved food quality and safety;
4. Preventing and managinginfectious diseases;
5. Promoting breastfeeding;
6. Caring for the socioeconomically deprived and nutritionally vulnerable;
7. Preventing and controlling specificmicronutrient deficiencies;
8. Promoting appropriate diets and healthy lifestyles; and
9. Assessing, analyzing, andmonitoringnutrition situations.
TheU.S. nutritionplanoutiinedinthisreportcorrespondsclosely withthethemesand
principles oftheICN.
ThenutritionactionthemesfortheUnitedStatesincludetwomajorcomponents. Thefirst
componentisadomesticplanofactionforimprovingnutritionwithintheUnitedStatesreferred
toasthe"Domestic Section."Thissectiondescribesthecurrentnutrition situation in the
UnitedStates, setsforth theU.S. goal fornutrition, describeshow nutritionaction is achieved
in theUnitedStates,andidentifiesseven themeareasforimproving domesticnutrition.Each
ofthe themeareasisdiscussed, gapswherepotentialimprovementispossiblearecited,and
specific strategiesareouthned.
Thesecondmajorcomponentisthe"InternationalSection."This sectionreflectsthe
leadershiproleoftheUnitedStates insupportingdevelopingcountries'effortstoimprove
nutritional status.
i
Table of Contents
Page
Nutrition Action Themesforthe United States
i
Domestic Section
CurrentNutrition Situationforthe United States 1
NutritionalStatus 1
SocietalFactors 2
U.S. GoalforNutrition 3
HowNutritionActionIsAchievedintheUnited States 4
ActionsattheFederalLevel 4
ActionsatOtherLevels 5
AdministeringNutritionAssistancePrograms 5
NationalNutritionMonitoring 5
PartnershipsforNutrition Actions 6
ThemesforImprovingNutrition 7
1. EatingforHealth 8
Background 8
Eating forHealth: Gaps 10
Eating forHealth: Strategies 11
2. Nutrition SecurityforAll 14
Background 14
Nutrition Security forAll: Gaps 15
Nutrition Security forAll: Strategies 15
3. SafeFoodandWaterFrom Source toTable 17
Background 17
SafeFoodandWaterfrom SourcetoTable: Gaps 18
SafeFoodandWaterfrom SourcetoTable: Strategies 18
4. Nutrition Monitoring 21
Background 21
Nutrition Monitoring: Gaps 21
Nutrition Monitoring: Strategies 22
5. Promoting Breastfeeding 23
Background 23
Promoting Breastfeeding: Gaps 25
Promoting Breastfeeding: Sfrategies 25
6. Nutrition-SensitiveFoodProduction,EconomicPolicy, and
AgriculturalResearch 27
Background 27
Nutrition-SensitiveFoodProduction,EconomicPolicy,and
Research: Gaps 28
Nutrition-SensitiveFoodProduction,EconomicPolicy,and
Research: Sti-ategies 29
Page
7. Human NutritionResearch 31
Background 31
HumanNutritionResearch: Gaps 31
HumanNutritionResearch: Strategies 32
SummaryofNutritionActionThemesforUnited States,Domestic Section 33
International Section 35
Theme 1. Incorporating NutritionalObjectives,Considerations, andComponents
intoDevelopmentPoliciesandPrograms 35
Theme2. ImprovingHouseholdFoodSecurity 37
Theme 3. ProtectingConsumersThroughImprovedFoodQualityandSafety 39
Theme4. PreventingandManaging InfectiousDisease 41
Theme5. Promoting Breastfeeding 42
Theme6. Caring forthe SocioeconomicallyDeprivedandNutritionallyVulnerable ... 44
Theme7. PreventingandControlling SpecificMicronutrientDeficiencies 45
Theme 8. Promoting AppropriateDietsandHealthyLifestyles 47
Theme9. Assessing,Analyzing,andMonitoringNutrition Situations 48
References 51
AppendixA. Key U.S. NutritionRelevantLegislation 56
AppendixB. //ea/r/jyPeop/e2000NutritionObjectives 58
Appendix C. Summary ofRecommendationsListedin CalltoAction 60
AppendixD. UNICEFAVHOTenStepsto SuccessfulBreastfeeding 61
AppendixE. ListofStrategyStatements 62
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