This report is part of a study conducted at the direction of the Agricultural Research Policy Advisory Committee, U.S. Department of Agriculture. A joint task group representing the State Agricultural Experiment Stations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture was assigned the responsibility for making the study. Task group members were:

Better health, a longer active lifespan, and greater satisfaction from work, family and leisure time are among the benefits to be obtained from improved diets and nutrition. Advances in nutrition knowledge and its application during recent decades have played a major role in reducing the number of infant and maternal deaths, deaths from infectious diseases, particularly among children, and in extending the productive lifespan and life expectancy. Significant benefits are possible both from new knowledge of nutrient and food needs and from more complete application of existing knowledge. Potential benefits may accrue from alleviating nutrition-related health problems, from increased individual performance and satisfactions and increased efficiency in food services. A vast reservoir of health and economical benefits can be available by research yet to be done on human nutrition.

Major health problems are diet related.—Most all of the health problems underlying the leading causes of death in the United States could be modified by improvements in diet. The relationship of diet to these health problems and others is discussed in greater detail later in the report. Death rates for many of these conditions are higher in the U.S. than in other countries of comparable economic development. Expenditures for health care in the U.S. are skyrocketing, accounting for 67.2 billion dollars in 1970-or7.0 percent of the entire U.S. gross national product.

The real potential from improved diet is preventative. - Existing evidence is inadequate for estimating potential benefits from improved diets in terms of health. Most nutritionists and clinicians feel that the real