USDA has announced the appointment of 20 scientists to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, whose role will be integral to the development of the 2020-2025 set of guidelines.
Each round of dietary guidelines engenders some controversy, and this latest effort is sure to be no different, as the committee members discuss the myriad issues surrounding the question of what makes up a healthy diet. This time around, advocates of a low-carb diet are certain to make their voices heard.
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar reviewed recommendations for the committee before making the final choices.
Nomination packages were reviewed by program staff from USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Research, Education, and Economics, and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. Then they were evaluated by USDA acting deputy undersecretaries of FNCS and REE, in consultation with the HHS assistant secretary for health.
"The vetting process also included a background check by the USDA Office of the Secretary to determine if any of the candidates have a financial, ethical, legal, and/or criminal conflict of interest that would prohibit them from serving on the committee," USDA said. "Officials from USDA’s Office of Ethics ensured interests and affiliations of appointed Advisory Committee members comply with applicable conflict of interest statutes, regulations issued by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE), supplemental agency requirements, and other applicable Federal ethics rules.
"Each committee member submitted a financial disclosure report prior to appointment and will continue to do so annually thereafter," the department said. "Each report was reviewed by USDA ethics officials for financial conflicts of interest and compliance with federal ethics rules."
Here is the list of DGAC members with links to biographical material.
- Jamy Ard, MD – Wake Forest University
- Regan Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD – Purdue University, Department of Nutrition Science
- Lydia Bazzano, MD, PhD – Tulane University
- Carol Boushey, PhD, MPH, RD – University of Hawaii
- Teresa Davis, PhD – Baylor College of Medicine
- Kathryn Dewey, PhD – University of California, Davis
- Sharon Donovan, PhD, RD – University of Illinois
- Steven Heymsfield, MD – Louisiana State University
- Ronald Kleinman, MD – Harvard University
- Heather Leidy, PhD – Purdue University
- Richard Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD – Purdue University
- Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, PhD, RD – University of North Carolina
- Timothy Naimi, MD – Boston University
- Rachel Novotny, PhD, RDN, LD – University of Hawaii
- Joan Sabaté, DrPH, MD – Loma Linda University
- Barbara Schneeman, PhD – University of California, Davis
- Linda Snetselaar, PhD, RD – University of Iowa
- Jamie Stang, PhD – University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health
- Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH – Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Chan School of Public Health
- Linda Van Horn, PhD, RDN, LD – Northwestern University
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