Food and Nutrient Systems for Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests continued support for the Nutrition Coordinating Center (NCC) at the University of Minnesota, as a national research resource. NCC develops, provides, and supports state-of-the-art methods, databases and software related to the collection and analysis of dietary data in studies of diet and health. NCC has the most comprehensive and detailed food and nutrient database appropriate for research purposes. Methodologies, quality control, and training are of the highest quality required for research. The stature of NCC personnel, activities, software, databases, and support services is documented with listings of study collaborations, client investigators, letters of support from investigators nationally, and references from the scientific literature that have used NCC methods and databases in their research. Four specific aims are proposed. Activities for Aim 1 will maintain and update the NCC database of 18,000 foods and 126 nutrients associated with the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R) software that collects, codes, and analyzes dietary data to generate nutrients consumed. Five additional nutrient fields will be added to the database, and updated versions of the database will accompany the versions of the software released annually so that rapid changes in the nation's food supply can be represented. Food grouping schemes will be developed and incorporated into NDS-R so that the number of servings in each can be calculated automatically. Activities for Aim 2 will enhance the NDS-R software and in-house computer programs to maintain the database, to further improve flexibility, efficiency of use, and data management features. Activities for Aim 3 will enhance the NCC website to improve and expand it's functionality to better serve nutrition researchers, both clients and other nutrition researchers. Activities for Aim 4 will develop a computer-based tool for assessment of dietary supplement use to be incorporated into the NDS-R software. This tool will utilize the content of supplement databases being developed at other government agencies. The total proposed work will allow NCC to continue to support biomedical research nationally with its products and services, it will provide continuity and comparability for ongoing and future studies, and it will help control costs and ensure quality to NIH and other investigators for providing software, databases, and diet-related research services.