Online only: New program looks at health effects of nutritional supplementation
A new program established by the CDC Foundation aims to emphasize the importance of specific nutrients when it comes to preventing birth defects and low birthweight as well as examine the nutrient status of an obese and dieting population.
The CDC Foundation established the $3.5 million program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct data analysis and educational activities focused on the potential role of dietary supplementation to address specific nutritional needs.
One of the components of the Optimal Nutrition and Long-Term Health Project is an educational and communications campaign targeting women of childbearing age. The campaign, which is currently in the research and planning phase, will highlight the benefits of folic acid from a multivitamin in preventing birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. With assistance from the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition and the National Council on Folic Acid, the campaign will engage several key audiences to reach women, including obstetricians, gynecologists and family practitioners. The funding partners will also lend their communication resources to help with the distribution of these messages.
“Scientific evidence already exists demonstrating that certain nutritional supplements can have dramatic health benefits,” said APHA member Jose Cordero, MD, MPH, of CDC’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. “For example, we know that folic acid, if taken before conception and throughout the first trimester, can reduce the risk for some birth defects by 50 to 70 percent. Unfortunately most women of childbearing age in the United States do not consume enough folic acid. The message is not getting out.”
The second component of the project is an analysis of the nutrient status of obese, overweight and dieting individuals.
“Using existing data gathered from two national studies, we will look at overall micronutrient status relative to body mass index, dieting practices and supplement use,” says William Dietz, MD, PhD, director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. “This analysis will provide important information about a growing subgroup of the population and their nutrient needs as they try to control their weight.”
Dietz and his group will also look at patterns of supplement use and attitudes about multivitamins among this population to identify factors that may impact messages on supplementation. Findings from these analyses will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal for dissemination to the nutrition community.
“The CDC Foundation is pleased to have such a diverse group of participants involved in this important endeavor,” says Charles Stokes, president and chief executive officer of the CDC Foundation. “This collaboration is really the first of its kind for the CDC Foundation and can serve as a model for future projects that help CDC further its mission.”
Source: CDC Foundation, Jan. 6, 2005
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