Peter Basiotis, Ph.D.

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Understanding Demand Shifts for Grain-Based
FoodsThe Policy Perspective

• Peter Basiotis, Ph.D.
• Economist and Director
• Nutrition Policy and Analysis Staff
• Center for Nutrition Policy Promotion
• United States Department of Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture Center
for Nutrition Policy Promotion
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Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Legislated Mandate
• National Nutrition Monitoring and Related
  Research Act of 1990 (1990) Public Law 445,
  Section 301.
• Dietary guidelines must be issued every 5 years
• Dietary guidance issued by the Federal government
  for the general public is to be reviewed by the
  Secretaries of both Agriculture, and Health and
  Human Services.

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What the Guidelines Do

• Provide dietary advice to consumers
• Set policy for food assistance programs
• Establish overarching goals for
• National health objectives
• Nutrition monitoring
• Nutrition research
• Set framework for standards in
• Food labeling/ fortification
• Food product development

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1980 1985 1990 1995
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2000
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Charge to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory
Committee

• Produce an advisory report for the Secretaries of
  HHS and USDA that makes nutritional and dietary
  recommendations for the 2005 edition of Nutrition
  and Your Health Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  
• Base the report on the preponderance of current
  scientific and medical knowledge.
• Single, time-limited taskCommittee disbanded
  when report was submitted to the Secretaries in
  August.

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Process Overview

• Five public meetings
• Systematic review of peer-reviewed scientific and
  medical literature
• Written public comments solicited and reviewed by
  Committee
• Oral public comments solicited and presented to
  Committee
• Experts invited to present at public meetings and
  consulted during subcommittee conference calls
• Committee deliberations during public meetings

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Systematic Review of Scientific Literature

• All literature examined was peer-reviewed.
• Human studies were primary focus.
• Committee assessed study quality and the strength
  of the evidence.
• Priority was given to
• trials with well-accepted, clinically relevant
  outcomes (e.g., incidence of cancer and
  myocardial infarction) and well-accepted risk
  factors (e.g., systolic blood pressure,
  low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and weight)
• longitudinal, cohort studies

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Additional Resource

• Proposed USDA food pattern and technical support
  data (Federal Register Notice, vol. 68, no. 176,
  Sept. 11, 2003, p. 53536)
• Food pattern modeling (e.g., Increased amounts
  of fish, whole grains substituted for enriched
  grains, lacto-ovo vegetarian pattern, varying
  levels of fat)

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Major Work Areas

• Science Review
• Nutrient Adequacy and Lifecycle
• Energy Balance
• Fatty Acids
• Selected Food Groups (fruits, vegetables, grains,
  milk milk products)

• Carbohydrates
• Macronutrients
• Fluid and Electrolytes
• Ethanol
• Food Safety

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DGAC Report Organization

• Executive summary
• Introduction
• Methodology
• Science base
• Translating the science into dietary guidance
• Research recommendations
• Appendices

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Content of Science Base

• Aiming to Meet Nutrient Intake Recommendations
• Energy
• Discretionary Calories
• Fats
• Carbohydrates
• Selected Food Groups
• Fluid and Electrolytes
• Ethanol
• Food Safety

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Key Scientific Recommendations

• Consume a variety of foods within and among the
  basic food groups while staying within energy
  needs
• Control calorie intake to manage body weight
• Be physically active every day
• Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables,
  whole grains, and reduced-fat milk and milk
  products
• Choose fats wisely for good health
• Choose carbohydrates wisely for good health
• Choose and prepare foods with little salt
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in
  moderation
• Keep food safe to eat

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Nutrient Adequacy

• Basic food groups are
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains
• Milk, yogurt and cheese
• Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts

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Selected Food Groups

• Committee RecommendationIncrease daily intakes
  of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and
  reduced-fat milk and milk products.
• Fruits and Vegetables At 2000 kcal/day, 9
  servings (4 ½ cups)
• Whole Grains At least three servings (3 ounces)
  per day
• Milk At 1600 kcal/day or more, 3 cups of non-
  or low-fat
• milk, milk products (or their equivalent)

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Carbohydrates

• Committee Recommendation Choose carbohydrates
  wisely for good health.
• Total carbohydrates Intake 45 to 65 of energy
  
• Dietary Fiber Intake 14 grams per 1000
  calories.
• Added Sugars Reducing intake of added sugars
  (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) may be
  helpful in achieving recommended nutrient intakes
  and weight control.
• Dental caries Reducing frequency of consuming
  sugars and starches and optimizing oral hygiene
  practices is advised
• Glycemic index/load Few advantages in using
  these for dietary guidance

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Question What Are the Optimal Proportions of
Dietary Fat and Carbohydrate to Maintain BMI and
To Achieve Long-Term Weight Loss?
Conclusion Weight maintenance depends on a
balance of energy intake and energy expenditure,
regardless of the proportions of fat,
carbohydrate, and protein in the diet.
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Question What Is the Utility of the Glycemic
Index/Glycemic Load for Providing Dietary
Guidance for Americans?
Conclusion Current evidence suggests that
glycemic index and/or glycemic load are of little
utility for providing dietary guidance for
Americans.
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Question What Are the Major Health Benefits of
Fiber-Containing Foods?
Conclusion Diets rich in dietary fiber have a
number of important health benefits including
helping to promote healthy laxation, reducing the
risk of type 2 diabetes, and decreasing the risk
of CHD. Prospective cohort studies suggest that
decreased risk of heart disease is associated
with the intake of 14 g of dietary fiber per
1,000 calories.
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Question What Are the Relationships Between
Whole-Grain Intake and Health?
Conclusion Consuming at least 3 servings
(approximately equivalent to 3 ounces) of whole
grains per day can reduce the risk of diabetes
and CHD and help with weight maintenance. Thus,
daily intake of three or more servings of whole
grains per day is recommended, preferably by
substituting whole grains for refined grains.
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Proposed Recommendations vs. Consumption
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Proposed Recommendations vs. Consumption
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Next Steps

• ? Advisory Committee report Aug
• Comment period Fall
• Policy document development Fall
• Release of policy document Early 05

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How To Access the DGAC report

• www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines
• www.cnpp.usda.gov/DG2005

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USDA is

• Committed to an open, transparent process
• Dedicated to using authoritative bodies and
  credible reports
• Focused on implementation and a new approach to
  personalize nutrition guidance