CFNAP: Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy

The Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy (CFNAP) is dedicated to advancing rational, science-based food, nutrition, and agriculture policy and is chartered with the University of Maryland—College Park (UMD).

Through its research, outreach, and educational programs, CFNAP examines complex, and oftentimes contentious, issues facing government policymakers, regulators, agribusinesses, food manufacturers, the media, and consumers.

The Issue:

What are the causes of the obesity epidemic and what can be done to control it?

The Action:

• Research: CFNAP faculty members published a half-dozen articles on weight gain and obesity in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Risk Analysis, Cancer, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, and others.
  • Risk Analysis:
    http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/
    abs/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2005.00667.x

• Outreach & Public Service: The faculty communicated findings by hosting expert panels and workshops and presenting results at major scientific conferences, such as Experimental Biology, the American Public Health Association, and NAASO: The Obesity Society.
  • American Public Health Association
    http://apha.confex.com/apha/132am/
    techprogram/paper_95007.htm

• Communications: CFNAP faculty members responded to media requests for interviews and their work was mentioned in hundreds of articles around the world including CNN Headline News, CNN.com, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and many others.

• Comments: The faculty provided written and oral comments to the USDA, FDA, and World Health Organization.
  • FDA:
    Just Released!

    Communicating Risk-Risk to the Public:
    The Case of the Health Benefits
    and Risks from Eating Seafood

  • USDA:
    http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/
    efan04004/efan04004i.pdf
  • FDA:
    http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/
    03/dec03/120403/03N-0338-emc-000034-01.pdf
  • World Health Organization
    http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/
    media/en/gsfao_cmo_014.pdf

The Results:

• CFNAP served as a private sector advisor to Secretary Tommy Thompson, Health and Human Services, at the 2003 World Health Assembly in Geneva.
  • http://www.cals.vt.edu/news/archives/
    20030529.html

• CFNAP served on the 2003 Summit on Obesity hosted by Secretary Tommy Thompson, Health and Human Services.
  • http://www.acfn.org/bios/bios-storey/

• CFNAP served as expert advisors to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
  • http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/
    dga2005/report/

• CFNAP launched and ran Virginia on the Move® and DC on the Move® in 2004 and 2005, statewide programs designed to encourage increased physical activity and modest, sustainable dietary changes.
  • America on the Move®
    http://www.americaonthemove.org/
  • America on the Move Video (English, 8MB)
  • America on the Move Video (español, 9MB)