The work of a Florida International University professor will help the United States Department of Agriculture to develop dietary guidelines for all Americans. With more than 20 years of experience as a researcher, professor Cristina Palacios will advise the department of agriculture and health and human services to revise federal nutrition policy.
She is happy to be recognized among 20 national public health experts.
“I feel very honored to be chosen,” said Palacios. “However, overwhelmed [too] because we have to make sure that we review all the available data out there, and make sure our recommendations are based on evidence.”
The committee will evaluate the relationship between diet and health in different life stages. Nutrition and health experts will review the current body of nutrition science to develop the guidelines for the 2025 to 2030 period. According to Palacios, the work will have a huge effect on all ethnic groups across the country.
“The impact is all over the U.S.,” she said. “All the nutrition and diet-related programs in the U.S. always use these guidelines to develop their own programs and translate the evidence to whatever they are doing.”
Palacios has previously worked on research about calcium and vitamin D limitations during pregnancy as well as guidelines for infants exposed to the Zika virus.
