ATLANTA - The CDC Foundation has announced the creation of a $3.5 million program to study and provide educational information on the role of dietary supplementation and the ability of supplements to address specific nutritional needs.
The first component of the Optimal Nutrition and Long-Term Health Project, currently in the research and planning stage, is an educational campaign that will target women of childbearing age. The campaign will highlight the benefits of folic acid in preventing birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly in newborns. According to the CDC, one out of every 33 babies born in the United States is born with a birth defect of some sort. Serious birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States, accounting for more than 20 percent of all infant deaths.
"Scientific evidence already exists demonstrating that certain nutritional supplements can have dramatic health benefits," explained Jose Cordero, MD, MPH, an official at the CDC's National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. "For example, we know that folic acid, if taken before conception and throughout the first trimester, can reduce the risk for some birth defects by 50 to 70 percent. Unfortunately, most women of childbearing age in the United States do not consume enough folic acid. The message is not getting out."
To achieve its objective, the campaign will work with organizations such as National Healthy Mothers, the Healthy Babies Coalition and the National Council on Folic Acid. The campaign will also employ the services of individual obstetricians, gynecologists and family practitioners to ensure that information about folic acid reaches the correct audience.
The second component of the project will analyze nutrient levels in obese, overweight and dieting individuals. The analysis, led by Dr. William Dietz, will also look at patterns of supplement use and beliefs about multivitamins. Findings from the analysis will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
"Using existing data gathered from two national studies, we will look at overall micronutrient status relative to body mass index, dieting practices and supplement use," said Dr. Dietz, who also serves as director of CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. "This analysis will provide important information about a growing subgroup of the population and their nutrient needs as they try to control their weight."
"The CDC Foundation is pleased to have such a diverse group of participants involved in this important endeavor," commented Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the foundation. "This collaboration is really the first of its kind for the CDC Foundation, and can serve as a model for future projects that help the CDC further its mission."
The CDC Foundation is an independent, nonprofit corporation created via a provision in the Public Health Service Act of 1994. Its stated purpose is "to support the mission of CDC in partnership with the private sector, including organizations, businesses, educational groups and individual parties."
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