The Interpretation of Nutrition Survey Data

Abstract

It is evident that we are still a long ways from having nutritional surveys which provide completely accurate and reliable information regarding the nutritional status of human subjects. Nevertheless, many guidelines have been developed which offer a great deal of help in determining segments of populations that are poorly fed and malnourished to a variable degree. Additional biochemical methodologies must be developed which will provide more specific information relative to nutrient function at the cellular level. These methodologies must be simple enough so that they may be adapted and used in large nutrition surveys. By perfecting methodologies and doing a better job of evaluating individuals within a group, we should come closer to the ideal objective of achieving correlation between dietary intake, biochemical nutrient levels and clinical findings. Unquestionably, more effort needs to be expended on evaluating the nutritional status of populations with an abundant food supply, such as those of the United States, and on gaining more information about the late effects of early nutrition.