Attention Low-Carbers: USDA Now Taking Nominations For 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

There are some very exciting things happening behind-the-scenes in Washington, DC right now as it relates to the next USDA-recommended Food Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines set to be released in 2010. As I blogged about in December 2007, President George W. Bush named Cornell University psychologist Dr. Brian Wansink (author of the bestselling 2007 book Mindless Eating) to head up the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion. I was greatly encouraged by this appointment of Dr. Wansink because he has been very open to the low-carb message being heard for people like me out there who need to "lose a lot of weight on a serious diet."

In that blog post I wrote about his new leadership position over the 2010 nutritional recommendations, I was very hopeful and expectant that Dr. Wansink would continue to have those open lines of communication with the experts in the low-carb community to give their input about what should be included in the next updated Food Pyramid.

"It should be thrilling to know that there will now be someone within the USDA who isn't antagonistic against livin' la vida low-carb," I wrote in that December 2007 post. "Hopefully this open line of communication between Dr. Wansink and the low-carb message will remain that way while discussing the 2010 dietary guidelines."

So, imagine my delight when I saw this notice from the USDA (Note: this links to a PDF file download) requesting nominations for the new Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Yes, that's right! They're taking nominations for who we think should be on that committee. This is open to any citizen of the United States to submit their choice(s) for who would be best qualified to serve in this capacity.

Dr. Wansink's appointment is through January 20, 2009, so there is little time to waste. That's why the nominations will only be considered through May 24, 2008. In other words, time is of the essence here. If you care about seeing the low-carb nutritional approach represented on this dietary recommendations panel (and you undoubtedly do if you read my blog!), then the time for action on this is RIGHT NOW! And we need to spread the word to everyone we know to do the same.

These new dietary guidelines are reviewed every five years and are supposed to reflect the latest research studies regarding diet and health to better inform the public about how to eat for managing their weight and health. The previous Food Pyramid in 2005 was an improvement upon the past ones, but was still sorely lacking any concept about the negative role of carbohydrate and the increasingly passive role of dietary fat, including saturated fat, in the American diet.

We NEED people who understand this connection to be seated on this committee for the sake of the future health of the American people. The low-fat lie has dominated the official government dietary guidelines since its inception in 1980 and we need to make some crucial changes in this policy if we're gonna get serious about this issue before it is too late. Haven't we suffered with the high-carb, low-fat message long enough? Will we continue to put up with such blatant disregard for the overwhelming evidence and real-life changes that are happening thanks to the healthy low-carb lifestyle? I'M NOT!

What is this committee actually gonna be doing? They will first look at the 2005 dietary guidelines and determine if any changes are necessary based on "a thorough evaluation of the most current scientific literature." If sufficient evidence is found to make changes, then new guidelines will begin being discussed by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in the Fall of 2008 through a series of two- or three-day meetings over a period of time. These meetings are open to the public as required by federal law.

The Secretaries of Agriculture (Ed Shafer) and Health and Human Services (Mike Leavitt) will oversee the reports from this advisory committee which will be led by Dr. Wansink. So, naturally, he will want to surround himself with the best possible candidates for this vital public health policy position. But who qualifies?

They are looking for people who are "knowledgeable of current scientific research in human nutrition and be respected and published experts in their fields." Additionally, according to the notice from the USDA, candidates for the advisory committee also need to be "familiar with the purpose, communication, and application of the Dietary Guidelines and have demonstrated interest in the public's health and well-being through their research and/or educational endeavors."

Here are the specific areas of expertise they want to be represented on the panel:

- Chronic Diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer
- Energy Balance issues involving exercise
- Epidemiology
- Food Safety and Technology
- General Medicine
- Gerontology
- Nutrient Bioavailability
- Nutrition Biochemistry and Physiology
- Nutrition Education
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Evidence Review Methodology

I can think of quite a few qualified people who meet and surpass this criteria required by the USDA to appear on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. I'm officially offering the following five names up for consideration to be nominated for this all-important position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion:

1. Eric C. Westman, M.D., M.H.S from Duke University
2. Mary C. Vernon, M.D. from The University of Kansas
3. Richard D. Feinman, Ph.D. from SUNY Downstate
4. Stephen Phinney, M.D. from The University of California-Davis
5. Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D. from The University of Connecticut

There are many more who fit the description of what the USDA is wanting for this distinguished panel, but any or all of these five individuals are more than qualified to offer all the evidence the committee wants about the low-carbohydrate nutritional approach and its impact on health. At the very least, we need a minimum of one of these low-carb experts to be placed on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

Here's what you need to do to nominate someone:

- Write a letter of nomination stating the name and affiliation of the nominee, why that person deserves to be nominated for this position, and a statement that the nominee would indeed be willing to serve (I have spoken with each of these five individuals I am nominating and they are all willing to serve if selected)

- Provide your name, address, and daytime telephone number along with the name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the nominee (much of this information can be found at the links provided above--if you provide their name and the school they are located at, then that should be enough information for them to contact the nominee)

- Share a copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae or resume (again, this information can be found at the links I provided above for each nominee)

When you gather all of this information, simply e-mail it to DG2010Nominations@cnpp.usda.gov no later than Saturday, May 24, 2008. You can also submit nominations via snail mail to Carole Davis, Nutrition Promotion Staff Director, Co-Executive Secretary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302. Or you can also fax your nomination to (703) 305-3300.

If you have any questions about this process, simply call (703) 305-7600. If you need any additional information about these candidates after you nominate them, then please don't hesitate to e-mail me and I'll be happy to get what you need. We all need to do this for the sake of our nation's future health policy. Don't put it off thinking there will be others nominating--MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR! We NEED to get a low-carb expert on this panel, so our unified voice behind these nominees will go a long way!

By the way, I am attempting to arrange a podcast interview with Dr. Brian Wansink and he has been in contact with me about this. Hopefully I will be able to conduct this interview soon and put a bug in his ear about having a low-carb researcher/practitioner serve on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. You just don't know how HUGE it would be to have a Westman, Vernon, Feinman, Phinney, or Volek on this committee--these are the people in the low-carb research world who are making the rest of the scientific community stand up and pay attention to the high-fat, low-carb diet again. Won't you do your part to nominate them TODAY? THANK YOU!!!

'Mindless Eating' Author Appointed USDA's New Director Of Nutrition Policy And Promotion

Dr. Brian Wansink will set the new U.S. dietary guidelines for 2010

It's not too often I am able to share with you some GOOD NEWS as it relates to something happening behind-the-scenes in the world of diet and health. Most of the time, we must lament that yet again all those so-called "experts" continue to bamboozle the public with their same old low-fat mantra over and over again. But this bit of encouraging news should be welcomed and cheered today because it could very well be an awesome thing for those of us who are in favor of livin' la vida low-carb.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the government arm in charge of setting nationalized dietary recommendations through MyPyramid.gov among other things, has decided to name Cornell University psychology professor and Mindless Eating author Brian Wansink, PhD the new executive director of the Center For Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) through January 20, 2009 when the Bush administration is set to leave office. This is quite a prestigious nomination for Wansink with potentially long-term ramifications as it relates to the future of diet and health in America.

This is one of the most important public policy positions related to health in Washington, DC because it is responsible for creating, planning, developing and reviewing the upcoming new dietary guidelines to be promoted by the government in 2010. MyPyramid.gov was introduced in 2005 to replace the old Food Pyramid and it wasn't much better than its low-fat loving predecessor (and neither was the kid's version of MyPyramid either). So Wansink wields a lot of power over the next couple of years to speak with various voices within the realm of nutrition about what is best for sharing with the general public about a healthy diet.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Nancy Johner said the chance to bring Wansink on board at the USDA is a golden opportunity.

"We feel quite fortunate in having Dr. Wansink join our team here at the USDA, and look forward to working with him," she said. "Dr. Wansink is nationally recognized in his field of nutrition research which focuses on how to encourage consumers to eat more nutritiously and better control how much they eat."

So what should people who support a controlled-carbohydrate dietary approach think about Dr. Brian Wansink? Well, although I was initially critical of his research into the psychology of eating he studied during his tenure at Cornell University, I was impressed overall by his book and what all that research has led him to believe about why people overeat.

In my interview with Dr. Wansink last year, he seemed quite open to the low-carb lifestyle for people who need to "lose a lot of weight a serious diet" which he says can be "very useful for a disciplined person." It should be thrilling to know that there will now be someone within the USDA who isn't antagonistic against livin' la vida low-carb. Hopefully this open line of communication between Dr. Wansink and the low-carb message will remain that way while discussing the 2010 dietary guidelines.

As major government health-related news goes, this is BIG NEWS! Their purpose is to take the existing scientific research and apply it to the nutritional needs of the American people. Now that we have amazing studies like this one showing a genetic connection between diet and obesity where low-carb works for some and low-fat works for others, it's time to see that reflected in dietary recommendations by offering a variety of options for people to choose from. Or, as I have been pushing for, why not recommend them BOTH?

Can Dr. Wansink make that happen at the USDA? I don't know, but I'm optimistic. I'm very hopeful that he will do everything he can to stay updated on the latest information that will help him make the best decisions about what those 2010 dietary recommendations will look like. It would be incredible if he continued to communicate with people like me and others within the low-carb community to get our input about how to word those guidelines for people who would do well on a low-carb approach. Cross your fingers on that one!

Other areas that Dr. Wansink will have a watchful eye over include the Healthy Eating Index (on which the 2005 MyPyramid updates were based), the USDA Food Plans, the Nutrient Content of the U.S. Food Supply and the cost of raising a child. And he is excited to get started making a difference in this new and extremely important role at the USDA.

"The Center is involved in many crucial projects that have an immense potential to help the American public particularly in combating overweight and obesity," Dr. Wansink stated. "I look forward to leading these endeavors to the best of my abilities."

The thing I like best about Dr. Wansink is he's such a real person. I was privileged enough to speak with him by telephone about a year ago prior to my blog interview and he's as down to Earth as anyone you'd ever meet. His accessibility even after the enormous success of his bestselling Mindless Eating book (now available in paperback, by the way) has remained the same and I respect that in anyone who purports to be an expert at anything. I have every confidence this same trend will remain.

Dr. Wansink will continue to conduct his own research in the Food Psychology department at Cornell University while serving in this government capacity. You can e-mail Dr. Brian Wansink to congratulate and encourage him in this new position by writing to foodandbrandlab@cornell.edu.