History of Human Nutrition Research in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service: People, Events, and Accomplishments

Wilbur Olin Atwater (1844-1907), while an administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the late 19th century, is credited with laying the groundwork for the science of human nutrition. His research encompassed four major areas: food intake, food composition, metabolism, and nutrition education, which he established in the programs of the Department. This publication details the major scientific accomplishments of the intramural human nutrition program of USDA from Atwater’s initial efforts to the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Each chapter documents an era or segment of this program that ranges from “early beginnings” through the “Home Economics era” to more recent expansion of scientific inquiry into the relationship of foods, nutrition, and health among all age groups of this country. Many examples in these chapters demonstrate the role nutrition research plays for the American citizenry, as well as gaps in the knowledge base of diet-health interactions in guiding this mission driven program.