USDA Food and Nutrient Databases Provide the Infrastructure for Food and Nutrition Research, Policy, and Practice

Abstract

The USDA food and nutrient databases provide the basic infrastructure for food and nutrition research, nutrition monitoring, policy, and dietary practice. They have had a long history that goes back to 1892 and are unique, as they are the only databases available in the public domain that perform these functions. There are 4 major food and nutrient databases released by the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC), part of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. These include the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database, the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, and the USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Database. The users of the databases are diverse and include federal agencies, the food industry, health professionals, restaurants, software application developers, academia and research organizations, international organizations, and foreign governments, among others. Many of these users have partnered with BHNRC to leverage funds and/or scientific expertise to work toward common goals. The use of the databases has increased tremendously in the past few years, especially the breadth of uses. These new uses of the data are bound to increase with the increased availability of technology and public health emphasis on diet-related measures such as sodium and energy reduction. Hence, continued improvement of the databases is important, so that they can better address these challenges and provide reliable and accurate data.

Effects of deployment on diet quality and nutritional status markers of elite U.S. Army special operations forces soldiers

“…Daily consumption of foods and food groups, dietary intake of key micronutrients, as well as carbohydrate, fat, and protein (expressed in grams and percent of calories), total caloric intake, and percent of calories from sweets and desserts were derived from the frequency and quantity of reported food items on the FFQ and corresponding nutrient values provided in the USDA’s Food and Nutrient Databases [17], as calculated by NutritionQuest. Self-reported frequency of intake of food items was assessed by asking participants to select “How often in the past 3 months” each food item listed on the FFQ was consumed.…”

Analytical ingredient content and variability of adult multivitamin/mineral products: national estimates for the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database ,

“…The DSID provides research tools to more accurately assess nutrient intake from DSs. DSID estimates complement the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference data for foods (21,48). The regression equations are implemented in an online interactive "Adult MVM Calculator" released with DSID-3 (49).…”

Sodium monitoring in commercially processed and restaurant foods

“…Of these, only 127 cereals account for 88% of total sales of all cereals. Hence, it is cost-effective to focus on the items with the highest sales (28). …”

“…The marketplace is dynamic; manufacturers continuously reformulate, introduce, or take foods off the market. Food composition databases need to be continuously updated to keep pace with these changes and serve as mechanisms for tracking changes (16). The USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) 6 and Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies are the major sources of food composition data in the United States and are used for national nutrition monitoring (16).…”