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NUTRITION


Academic Info: Nutrition & Food Science

•  Compiled and maintained by Mike Madin
•  Links to the following resources: Indexes & Directories, Reference Desk, Digital Library (the best links for J&W users), Organizations
•  Despite the site's name, the overwhelming number of links pertain to nutrition
•  Excellent annotations accompany most sites
•  Not extensive, but a great place for beginning research; does an admirable job of covering "the basics"


American Dietetic Association (ADA)

•  With almost 70,000 members, the ADA is America's most well-known and prestigious professional organization for dietetics and nutrition
•  "Food and Nutrition Information" offers a variety of resources for the general public, including nutrition fact sheets, health quizzes, "New Nutrition Screening Initiative"; also links to government resources, food/nutrition organizations, professional associations, international organizations, affiliate (state) organizations
•  "Find a Nutritional Professional" is a service for locating professional assistance; searchable by zip code, city or state
•  Also includes information about ADA membership, accreditation programs, continuing education, conferences/events, programs/initiatives, publications
•  Outstanding; this site not only offers extensive information about the ADA and its programs/resources/services but its resources for the general public are excellent and presented in a straightforward manner


Arbor Nutrition Guide

•  Maintained by Dr. Tony Helman, Australian nutritionist
•  Directory of links to a wide variety of nutrition, food science and food industry resources
•  "Food Science" links to sites on food composition, genetically engineered food, food laws/labels, functional foods
•  "Applied" links to sites for conferences, commercial sites, dietary guidelines, nutrition education, nutrient biochemistry, "lay/patient information"
•  "Clinical" links to sites on nutrition-related illnesses, special diets, toxicology and other medically-related nutrition issues
•  Also, extensive links to professional organizations, journals, newsletters, government sites, mailing lists
•  Updated frequently
•  Outstanding; comprehensive and easy-to-navigate; one of the best sites — if not the best — for professional-level, research-level nutrition information


Ask the Dietitian

•  Maintained by Joanne Larson, registered dietitian, for TheInternet.com
•  Provides advice and answers for several hundred diet/nutrition questions in 105 categories including the dietary impact of specific illnesses, dietary needs of age groups, food safety, labeling, vitamins and related topics
•  Questions welcomed; while personal replies cannot be made, the question/answer is posted under the relevant subject category, if deemed appropriate
•  Data within questions are cross-linked to other relevant topics
•  Information provided for educational purposes; users should consult a nutrition/ medical professional for authoritative advice
•  Great source for non-technical, layman-level information for a wide array of diet, nutrition and food topics


Blonz Guide: Nutrition, Food & Health Resources

•  Created and maintained by Dr. Ed Blonz, Certified Nutrition Specialist
•  Extensive site providing links to the following: food and fitness; health and medical resources; food resources and associations; news and electronic 'zines; academic institutions; government links (national and international)
•  Short annotations accompany many links
•  Also links to search engines, a language translator, and sustainable agricultural resources
•  Excellent site — extensive, high-quality links and easy-to-navigate


BUBL LINK Catalogue of Internet Resources: Nutrition

•  Links to 28 nutrition-related websites for general resources, journals, meta-sites, professional organizations, government sites
•  Each link is annotated; includes a brief description, author/sponsoring body, resource type, location
•  International in scope, but primarily from the UK and the USA
•  Excellent place to begin research


Calculate Your Body Mass Index

•  Maintained by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
•  Interactive calculator for users to calculate their "Body Mass Index (BMI)" using English or metric measurement systems
•  Links to related sites for healthy weight ("Assessing Your Risk") and menu planning
•  Useful site for calculating whether one's body weight is within the acceptable range for healthy living


Calorie Counter Council (CCC)

•  Sponsored by the Council, which represents manufacturers of low-calorie/reduced-fat foods and beverages
•  Provides advice and information on dietary practices and activities designed to achieve a healthy weight
•  Includes "Enhanced Calorie Counter," "Get Moving Calculator," and "Body Mass Calculator"
•  "Calorie Counter Newsnet" provides weekly articles on such topics as workplace "wellness programs," cholesterol reduction, unhealthy lifestyles and heart disease, etc.
•  Site's purpose is to educate industry, government and consumers regarding improved nutrition
•  Includes FAQ feature, trends and statistics, information targeted for health professionals and educators
•  Very useful for interactive information on diet, exercise, nutrition and weight control


Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)

•  Sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
•  Extensive links to over 70 topics on food safety and nutrition
•  Includes an overview of the Center's responsibilities; also discusses the FDA's role in nutrition information
•  Links to related FDA pages and additional resources for food and nutrition information
•  While the primary emphasis of the site is food safety issues, it also contains much useful data relating to nutrition


Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)

•  This page is " ... the focal point within the USDA where ... scientific research is linked with the nutritional needs of the American public"
•  Provides documents which are useful to consumers attempting to develop sound dietary habits
•  Offers advice for healthy meal planning, dietary guidelines, food pyramids, nutrition for age groups and related topics
•  "Interactive Healthy Eating Index" allows users to gauge the nutritional value of their diet
•  Includes information on CNPP's projects, publications/reports, news; also links to other nutrition websites
•  One of the most popular nutrition sites; especially useful for the general user


Dietetics and Nutrition Pathfinder

•  Maintained by Susan Hocker, Miami University Libraries
•  "Designed to help you thread your way through the weeds in the information jungle," this site links to categories for conducting nutrition/dietetics research
•  Includes locating information on people, organizations, magazine articles, information on nutrients, websites, specialized handbooks
•  Discusses print resources in addition to online resources; many of the print resources should be available in most academic libraries or large public libraries
•  Very useful for a balanced approach to beginning research in nutrition/dietetics


Ethnic/Cultural Food Guide Pyramids

•  Sponsored by the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)
•  "Cultural Food Pyramids" provides links to a variety of food pyramids for specific cultural, ethnic, and "special audience" groups
•  Offers the revised USDA food pyramid in bilingual format for over 30 languages (compliments of Georgia State University's Department of Anthropology and Geography)
•  "Special Audiences" include pre-schoolers, "kids," people over 70, vegetarians
•  Links back to the FNIC home page; links to additional sites for nutrition information
•  Excellent source for dietary and nutrition information for specific populations


Fast Food Facts — Interactive Food Finder

•  Sponsored by Olen Publishing, this site is based on the book "Fast Food Facts" by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office
•  Database for nutritional analysis for the products of 20 fast food chains
•  Search by chain name and food item for information on total calories, fat content, sodium content, cholesterol content
•  "Fire Up the Deep Fryer" allows browsing a chain's product offerings and products' nutritional analysis
•  Includes suggestions for maximizing the productivity of searches
•  Very useful for providing information on the nutritional value of products from the nation's leading convenience/fast food companies


Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)

•  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) in conjunction with the University of Maryland's Department of Nutrition and Food Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
•  Provides access to extensive information for all aspects of food and nutrition, from governmental, academic and professional sources
•  "Topics A-Z" links to over 70 topics, includes databases, dietary assessments, food composition, food pyramids, statistics, and surveys
•  "Consumer Corner" features an FAQ option, as well as links to the most popular topics requested by the public
•  Searchable
•  "Updated daily"
•  Comprehensive and easy-to-navigate, this outstanding site is one of the best for nutrition research on all levels; highly recommended


Food Standards Agency (FSA)

•  This British government agency "... is an independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food"
•  "Diet and Health" category links to the following: "Food and Weight," "Food Intolerance," "Your Daily Diet," "Food Myths" and related topics
•  All essays are clearly written and should be comprehensible to the layman
•  Also available in Dutch, French and German
•  Links to other FSA categories for food hygiene, safety, labeling and food law enforcement
•  This site is an excellent example of a well-designed, consumer-oriented resource for diet and nutrition


From Wallet to Waistline: The Hidden Costs of Supersizing

•  Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader software (free download from Adobe's site) to open the document in PDF format.
•  Sponsored by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA)
•  This short, perceptive report (June 2002) investigates the relationship between "value" meals and the current epidemic of obesity (especially among children)
•  Discusses the caloric/nutritional content of specific food items at "fast food" restaurants and convenience stores, citing specific nutritional data for many of America's favorite foods (includes a comparison of pricing information by size)
•  Includes bibliographical references
•  Excellent report on this contemporary health/nutritional issue


Good Nutrition Reading List

•  Sponsored by the American Dietetic Association (ADA)
•  "This online guide identifies and describes nearly 100 books and newsletters that provide timely and scientifically-based nutrition information that you can trust"
•  "Most are available at local libraries or bookstores"
•  Topics include the following: "food facts," nutrition guides, nutrition for specific populations (children, elderly, vegetarians), food allergies/sensitivities (celiac, renal, lactose intolerance), "special needs" (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension)
•  ADA publications cited include purchasing information
•  Excellent annotations accompany each citation; almost all have been published since 1997 (many within the last two years)
•  Also includes information on ADA membership, products, conferences/events, "fact sheets," continuing education, "ADA Journal" (archives since 1993; some material is free, but other is fee-based)
•  Excellent, timely guide to print resources from one of the most authoritative and prominent professional organizations


Guidance on How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Panel on Food Labels

•  Sponsored by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
•  Provides clear, step-by-step instructions on interpreting information on the "Nutrition Facts" label on food and beverage products
•  Also provides guidance on making food comparisons
•  Excellent resource for the best utilization of this important source in nutrition planning


International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC)

•  The IFIC's goal is " ... to communicate science-based information on food safety and nutrition to health and nutrition professionals, educators, journalists, government officials and others providing information to consumers"
•  Links to 13 nutrition-oriented topics and 7 food-safety topics
•  Each topic offers informative, non-technical articles, booklets/brochures, IFIC reviews, "fact sheets," Q&A
•  Also links to IFIC's publications, "Food Insight Newsletter," glossary, news
•  Sections of the site are available in Spanish
•  While this site's focus is for nutrition practitioners and other professionals, its articles are also very useful to the layman as well


MEDLINEplus: Nutrition

•  "A service of the U.S. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE and the NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH"
•  Directory of links to sites for the following nutrition-related topics: news, general/overview sites, clinical trials, research, specific conditions/aspects, directories, statistics, journals/newsletters, professional organizations, audience-specific resources (men, women, teenagers)
•  Most links are to professional organizations, academic/research institutes, government sites
•  Also links to 15 related MEDLINEplus pages for other aspects of nutrition
•  Not extensive, but its excellent choice of links makes this site a great place to begin research


Milestones in U.S. Food and Drug Law History

•  Maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
•  Timeline of America's food regulation history from 1820 to the present
•  Good source for a quick review of this topic


Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

•  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service
•  Provides information on the nutritional content (proximates, minerals, vitamins, lipids, amino acids) for over 6,000 food products
•  Includes commercial brands as well as generics
•  Includes FAQ and advice for the best methods to search the database
•  Great source for quick nutritional content for a wide variety of foods


Nutrition & Diet Resources

•  Maintained by the Internet Public Library (IPL)
•  Links to a variety of industry sites, "gateways," government sites
•  Annotations accompany each link
•  Links to related IPL pages for associations and journals; also links to IPL sub-pages for caffeine, cholesterol, vitamins/minerals
•  Like all IPL pages, this is an excellent place to begin research on "the basics"


Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 6th ed., 2005

•  "Published jointly every 5 years by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA)"
•  "Provides authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases"
•  Downloads in PDF format (39 pages); also may be purchased
•  Links to other federal government sites dealing with nutrition
•  This outstanding site is the best general federal report for consumer information about diet and nutrition; very useful for the general reader with a minimum of knowledge about nutrition


Nutrition Source

•  Maintained by the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health
•  "The aim of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source is to provide timely information on diet and nutrition for clinicians, allied health professionals and the public"
•  Offers advice on a variety of nutritional issues including the interpretation of news on diet/ nutrition, food pyramids, healthy weight, nutritionally-related diseases (diabetes), specific types of food (fruits/vegetables, dairy products), nutrients (carbohydrates, fiber, protein, etc.)
•  This is an excellent consumer-oriented site which should also be of use to anyone involved or interested in nutrition at any level


Nutrition.gov

•  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
•  Serves as "one-stop shopping" for "... all federal government information ... on nutrition, healthy eating and food safety"
•  Organizes access by the following categories: "Food Facts," "Food Safety," "Lifestyle Issues" (population-specific links for adults, children, seniors, women, minorities, "special needs"), "Health Management," "Food Assistance," "Research," "Resources" (statistics, newsletters, reports)
•  "Spotlight on ..." links to specific topics (back-to-school nutrition, summer food safety, eating right during the holidays, etc.) not often discussed elsewhere
•  This is the best source for government information on nutrition for the general public


Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)

•  Maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
•  "The ODS supports research and disseminates research results in the area of dietary supplements; ... also provides advice to other federal agencies regarding research results related to dietary supplements"
•  Issues safety notices, provides fact sheets and suggests recommended allowances for dietary supplements
•  Includes information on ODS publications, news, research initiatives, grants/fundraising, events/conferences
•  Links to related sites for both consumers and health professionals
•  Best government resource for information on all facets of dietary supplements


SMART-MOUTH.ORG

•  Sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
•  This site promotes healthy dietary habits for children through interactive menu-planning exercises
•  Also links to other relevant sites, recipes, nutrition articles
•  Great source for presenting nutritional information at a level comprehensible to children


"Virtual" ~ Nutrition Center

•  Maintained by Jim Martindale, University of California at Irvine, Science Library
•  This is a huge meta-site, covering every conceivable nutrition related topic: meta-sites, online journals, conferences, calculators, glossaries and dictionaries, food science, food safety and much more
•  Annotations accompany most links
•  This site is comprised of one long page, but the extensiveness of its offerings is well worth the browsing effort


Websites discussed on this page are for informational purposes only. Johnson & Wales University Library is not responsible for the accuracy, content, or stability of any websites linked to this page. When in need of nutritional advice, consult a nutrition professional.

Compiled by Rick Keogh 9/99; updated 12/03; links last checked 2/08

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