Three faculty members from the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell played key roles at the recent National Nutrition Summit, May 30-31, in Washington, D.C.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services, the summit reviewed accomplishments in the areas of food, nutrition and health since the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health took place 30 years ago. In addition, experts from around the country identified challenges and emerging opportunities for the nation in the areas of nutrition and lifestyle issues, particularly ways to solve the national epidemic of overweight children and adults and obesity.
In addition to a videotaped message from President Bill Clinton, almost 60 experts -- including Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala, Ambassador George McGovern and former Sen. Bob Dole -- gave presentations or papers or participated on panels.
Participating from Cornell were professors of nutritional sciences Kathleen M. Rasmussen, Christine Olson and Vice Provost Cutberto Garza. Rasmussen presented a paper on the consequences of achieving the new public health goals of extending the duration of breastfeeding on maternal health and nutritional status. Olson participated in the Hunger, Nutrition and Health session on the impact of hunger and food insecurity on adults' health. And Garza moderated a panel on behavior change and lifestyle improvements, which covered areas such as how to implement successful changes across the lifespan and examples of successful interventions. Garza also is chair of the Food and Nutrition Board (a unit of the Institute of Medicine, a private, nonprofit, self-governing body that helps advise the federal government) and chaired the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2000, issued by the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also were presented at the National Nutrition Summit (and are available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dga/ ).
When asked about the significance of the summit, Garza said: "This is the most significant national nutrition policy meeting since the White House Nutrition Conference in the late 1960s. The deliberations held at the summit are expected to lead to specific strategies that will build on the successes of the last 30 years and recognize the central role that nutrition will play in public health efforts to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality."
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