Dietary Patterns and Health: Insights From NESR Systematic Reviews to Inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Published in: Journal of nutrition education and behavior Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 75 - 87
• Main Authors: English, Laural K., Raghavan, Ramkripa, Obbagy, Julie E., Callahan, Emily H., Fultz, Amanda K., Nevins, Julie E.H., Scinto-Madonich, Sara, Reigh, Nicole A., Stoody, Eve E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Agriculture; behavior; dietary guidelines; dietary patterns; dietary recommendations; Food; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Internal Medicine; NESR; nutrition education; Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review; Nutrition Policy; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review; NESR; dietary guidelines; nutrition policy; dietary patterns
• ISSN: 1499-4046; 1878-2620; 1878-2620
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2023.10.001

This perspective article shares unique insights from the extensive experience of the US Department of Agriculture Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review branch in conducting systematic reviews on dietary patterns and health outcomes to inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Methodological approaches for reviewing dietary patterns research are described, including approaches to operationalizing definitions and analyzing labeled dietary patterns. The review also describes techniques for synthesizing dietary patterns research across life stages in systematic reviews that inform food-based, federal dietary guidance. Current research activities and recommendations for how to improve or address gaps in dietary patterns research in the future are also discussed.