Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics

Distinguished Lecture Series

Title: From Molecules to Food Patterns: the Challenge of Developing a National Nutrition Policy

Joanne R. Lupton, Ph.D.
Professor of Nutrition and Food Science and
of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,
Regents Professor, University Faculty Fellow, and
Holder of the William W. Allen Chair in Nutrition
Texas A&M University

March 20, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
Auditorium, Annenberg Presidential Conference Center
Texas A&M University

Abstract

The National Academy of Sciences sets the recommendations for individual nutrients (DRI values). Because people eat foods, not nutrients, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is mandated to develop dietary patterns which people can follow to provide ~ 100% of all required nutrients without exceeding energy intake a task more difficult than it may appear. For example, Americans currently eat only half the DRI value for dietary fiber, making selection of high fiber foods a priority. An evidence-based review reveals that 3 servings of whole grains (high in fiber) decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, but adding 3 servings per day to their usual diets puts most people over their energy allotment. One solution is to substitute whole grains for refined grains, which raises an additional issue since refined grains are fortified with folic acid but whole grains arent. Therefore a change to increase whole grain intake can depress folic acid consumption. When all of the recommendations are modeled to meet nutrient needs without exceeding energy requirements, most Americans, particularly sedentary individuals, have few discretionary calories to use on non-nutrient dense foods. This is a key factor in our most important health problemthe rising rate of obesity.

About the Speaker

Joanne R. Lupton, Ph.D., is a Regents Professor and University Faculty Fellow at Texas A& M University and holder of the William W. Allen Endowed Chair in Human Nutrition. She chaired the Macronutrients Panel for the Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences, and also chaired the National Academy panel to determine the definition of dietary fiber. She spent one year at the Food and Drug Administration helping to develop levels of scientific evidence required for health claims and served on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Committee, and is currently on the FDA Food Advisory Committee. She is a lifetime associate of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Lupton is equally committed to teaching and research and has received a number of teaching awards including the USDA teaching award and the Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching from The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M. Texas A&M students selected her as a T-Camp namesake in 1997. During hercareer at Texas A&M, she has mentored more than 50 masters and Ph.D. students. She received the Dannon/American Society for Nutrition mentoring award in 2004.

Dr. Lupton is President-elect of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). She is program leader for nutrition, physical fitness and rehabilitation for the National Space Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Luptons research is on the effect of diet on colon physiology and colon cancer with a particular focus on dietary fiber and n-3 fatty acids. Her research is supported by grants from the NIH/NCI, NASA, and NSBRI. She is the Director of the Nutrition Research Core for the NIEHS supported Center for Environmental and Rural Health at Texas A&M University. Her undergraduate degree is from Mt. Holyoke College and her Ph.D. in Nutrition is from the University of California at Davis.

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