About Us

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture on December 1, 1994, and reports to the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. CNPP’s mission is to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.

The staff at CNPP is composed primarily of nutritionists, nutrition scientists, dietitians, economists, and policy experts. CNPP staff help to define and coordinate nutrition education policy within USDA and to translate nutrition research into information and materials for consumers; policymakers; and professionals in health, education, industry, and media.

CNPP carries out its mission to improve the health of Americans by (1) advancing and promoting food and nutrition guidance for all Americans; (2) assessing diet quality; and (3) advancing consumer, nutrition, and food economic knowledge.

The Evidence Analysis Library Division (EALD) within CNPP monitors, assesses, gathers, analyzes, and consults on the scientific evidence in support of nutrition, food, dietary guidance, nutrition education, and nutrition research policies and outreach programs. The EALD designs and leads a wide range of scientific review projects that inform and support nutrition policy and guidance and serve as the basis for nutrition promotion and education activities. The Nutrition Evidence Library, a major function of the Division, supports the Dietary Guidelines 2010 process. EALD was formed to provide a broader-based evidence library to support Federal and external organizations as a repository of the most up-to-date credible literature available in the areas relative to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: obesity, food groups, weight management, physical activity, food safety, methods of consumer nutrition education program development, risk analysis and nutrients, and social marketing. EALD serves as the USDA model upon which USDA agencies approach science review to support the policies for which they have responsibility.