Monday, March 14, 2016

The Breathtaking Stated New Focus of American Nutrition Research

Diet related chronic non-communicable diseases (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.) are flooding the world, and America's flood waters are among its highest.

Last week, in response to this flood, the US' Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research released the first Nutrition Research Roadmap designed to guide federal nutrition research into the future. Their focus? Individualized swimming lessons:
"Research that can lead to more individualized advice for promoting health and preventing disease."
Committee co-chair Catherine Woteki explains,
"Nutritional needs differ according to a number of factors, including an individual's age, their health status and their level of physical activity. Those needs can be tailored according to personal preferences, enabling each person to choose the foods that are right for them. The priorities outlined in the Roadmap will help us identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities that can help consumers make healthy choices."
That there are scientists out there, intra-agency scientists no less, that think the path out of this flood is going to be by way of more precisely advising individuals, on a case-by-case basis, rather than by way of environmental changes that affect global consumer behaviour and choice, is mind-boggling to me.