The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) applauds the Administration’s decision to hold a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this fall and offers ASN’s support for this important event.

Rockville, MD (May 4, 2022) President Joe Biden has announced a White House conference on hunger, nutrition and health scheduled for September 2022 in Washington, D.C. Biden made this announcement via video on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) submitted a letter in support of a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health to White House staff and leaders of USDA and HHS earlier this year.

It has been fifty-three years since President Nixon last convened a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health. Nutrition science has evolved considerably since that time, and so too have our nation’s food, nutrition, health, and hunger challenges. Just as the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health significantly impacted federal policies that shaped the nutrition, health, and wellbeing of Americans, the 2022 conference has the same opportunity to profoundly impact the future health of our nation by improving nutrition security and diet-related disease prevention.

ASN and its members have devoted considerable time and focus to conducting and disseminating research on the issues of achieving nutrition security and diet-related chronic disease prevention, which should be focal points for a conference on food, nutrition, health, and hunger given their significant impact on the American population.

“The conference will both highlight and advance the work of nutrition researchers and of organizations like ASN, and how nutrition research and update government programming,” said ASN President Paul Coates, PhD, in his letter to President Biden. “Ultimately, the outcomes from this conference will contribute to the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease, as well as food and nutrition insecurity, and in that way, save lives and costs and help build a more equitable society.

ASN President Paul Coates, PhD

Diet-related chronic diseases are a leading cause of death in the United States and research has shown that underrepresented populations, including communities of color and Tribal communities, are disproportionally affected by diet-related chronic diseases. One of the nutrition-related challenges faced by many low-income populations, including underrepresented groups, that has far-reaching consequences including diet-related chronic diseases is food and nutrition insecurity. The policy outcomes from this conference have the potential to address long-standing health inequities and disparities such as these and reduce health care costs. The outcomes of this conference should highlight the research gaps to help shape the future of nutrition research and advance nutrition science.

Our aim is for recommendations resulting from the White House Conference to reflect evidence-based nutrition research and science and catalyze renewed interest and focus on improving nutrition security and diet-related disease prevention in the US.

A dialogue session will be held at NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE to get member feedback on policy recommendations to share with the White House and federal agencies prior to the event. Join us and make your voice heard.

Please contact Sarah Ohlhorst, MS, RD, ASN Chief Science Policy Officer (sohlhorst@nutrition.org) with questions or requests for additional information.