The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture on December 1, 1994, and reports to the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. CNPP’s mission is to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.
 
The staff at CNPP is composed primarily of nutritionists, nutrition scientists, dietitians, economists, and policy experts. CNPP staff help to define and coordinate nutrition education policy within USDA and to translate nutrition research into information and materials for consumers; policymakers; and professionals in health, education, industry, and media.

CNPP carries out its mission to improve the health of Americans by (1) advancing and promoting food and nutrition guidance for all Americans; (2) assessing diet quality; and (3) advancing consumer, nutrition, and food economic knowledge. Major projects administered by CNPP are listed to the left.

To read the 2011 Accomplishments for the Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion, click here.

CNPP Divisions

The Nutrition Marketing and Communication Division

Designing, leading, and implementing a wide range of nutrition education, marketing, communications, and promotion projects

To meet its goal, this division—
• Helps consumers, on a national scale, adopt behaviors for making wise food choices and being physically active.
• Plans and coordinates marketing and communications research involving consumers, health professionals, and nutrition educators.
• Develops, leads, and manages public and private partnerships to help multiply the reach of tested, actionable nutrition and health messages.
• Provides customer support to consumers and professionals.
• Creates and manages the CNPP and USDA’s MyPlate.gov Websites.
• Represents CNPP in a multitude of professional conferences and meetings.

The Evidence Analysis Library Division

Providing the latest evidence-based science to inform nutrition policy programs that support nutrition guidance provided to all Americans

To meet its goal, this division—
• Leads a wide range of scientific review projects that inform and support Federal nutrition policy programs and guidance, as well as serve as the basis for nutrition promotion and education.
• Provides professional leadership to the Nation’s nutrition researchers, educators, and health professionals in the development and application of systematic evidence analysis to public health nutrition.
• Makes accessible to the public systematic, evidence-based reviews.
• Evaluates systematically scientific research to support the development and implementation of the Dietary Guidelines and on making nutrition education and social marketing, and health communication methods more effective.

The Nutrition Guidance and Analysis Division

Providing national leadership, technical expertise, and cooperation for development of the legislatively mandated Dietary Guidelines for Americans

To meet its goal, this division—
• Works closely with Federal partners to promote national nutrition policy.
• Coordinates and shares efforts related to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, thus ensuring that Federal dietary guidance is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is supported across Federal departments.
• Provides professional leadership in promoting national food and dietary guidance by translating science-based guidance into research-based patterns for food intake and message strategies that consumers will use to make informed decisions and positively change behavior.
• Conducts policy research on food consumption patterns, nutrients in the U.S. food supply, and consumer expenditures on children to inform national and state policy.

Last Modified: March 14, 2012 02:12 PM