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HEALTHY PEOPLEPOWERED BY NUTRITION

®

OUR SOCIETY IS IN CRISIS. ■ 70% of adults and 32% of children in the U.S. are obese or overweight.1,2

■ 60% of adults and 27% of children in the U.S. suffer from chronic disease.3,4

■ 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. are chronic diseases.5

■ Treating chronic disease accounts for 90% of the $3.3 trillion annual

U.S. healthcare costs.6

THESE ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS. Each is a person with a story to tell.

Chronic disease and obesity not only create suffering, they prevent each

afflicted person from fulfilling their potential to be their best self, whether as

a teacher, a firefighter, a husband, or a mother. This has devastating health,

social and economic consequences not only for future generations, but right

now. It is the sum of these personal stories that is the real crisis for our society.

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NUTRITION: THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTIONWhy do we face this crisis? Poor nutrition is the leading cause of chronic disease

and obesity: it is responsible for more deaths in the U.S. than tobacco, inactivity,

or any other risk factor.7

The meaning of poor nutrition has shifted radically in recent decades. Rather than

lack of food, poor nutrition now largely means overconsumption of high-calorie,

low-nutrient, body-disrupting foods that spur chronic disease and obesity.

YET THERE IS GOOD REASON FOR HOPE. The problem itself contains the seeds

of the solution. Just as poor nutrition is the primary cause, personalized nutrition

is the most powerful antidote to chronic disease and obesity.

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We now have a vast body of science

underscoring the impact of nutrition.

Nutrition is the single most powerful

determinant of our health.9 Genetics

represents only about 10% of the risk

for chronic disease, while about 90% of

the risk comes from modifiable actions

we take every day. The most impactful

modifiable action is what we eat.10

■ Early intervention with nutrition

and lifestyle prevents diabetes

more effectively than the leading

prescription drug.11

■ Vitamin D supplementation in

deficient patients significantly boosts

survival likelihood when treating

cardiovascular disease.12

Personalized nutrition has the power to

prevent and reverse obesity and chronic

diseases such as cardiovascular disease,

osteoporosis, and diabetes by addressing

their root causes.8

Nutrition—not our genes—drives our health destiny.

Yet nutrition is vastly underutilized in our health system and culture, compared to its impact:

■ While 94% of resident physicians believe it is a doctor’s obligation to discuss

nutrition with patients, only 14% feel that doctors are equipped to do so.13

■ While increasingly recognizing its importance, Americans have scant

actual understanding of nutrition: only 30% can link top health issues

to specific nutritional inputs, and only 40% are familiar with basic

nutrition recommendations.14

■ Those populations at highest risk for poor nutrition are least likely to

seek preventive services or heed the advice of health professionals.15

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HOLDS THE GREATEST POTENTIAL

TO SOLVE OUR SOCIETY’S CRISIS.

IS THERE SUCH A PROFOUND GAP BETWEEN NUTRITION’S POTENTIAL

AND ITS ACTUAL USE?

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American College of Nutrition® 1959 | A visionary group of medical doctors establishes the American College

of Nutrition® (ACN®), a professional society of scientists and practitioners that

translates the latest nutrition science into practice through 60 Annual Conferences

and a peer-reviewed journal.

Nutrition for Optimal Health AssociationSM

1972 | A group of pioneering mothers, physicians, and scientists establishes the

Nutrition for Optimal Health AssociationSM, to bring the latest science-based nutrition

information directly to the public.

Board for Certification of Nutrition SpecialistsSM 1993 | The ACN creates the Board for Certification of Nutrition SpecialistsSM (BCNSSM),

to administer the gold-standard certification for advanced nutrition practitioners: the

Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®).

Center for Nutrition Advocacy® 2013 | The Center for Nutrition Advocacy® (CNA®) is launched to advocate for state

and federal policy that advances practice and insurance reimbursement rights for

nutrition practitioners, to move nutrition into the core of the healthcare system.

Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional EducationSM

2015 | The Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional Education (ACNPE) is

established to set the standards for university nutrition programs and elevate the

number, caliber, and Medicare rights of graduates and remains a separate and

independent organization.

BCNSSM

The leaders of five nutrition organizations

with rich histories formed a consortium

to answer that question.

The consortium identified six core problems that have prevented

nutrition from fulfilling its potential. Although each of our

organizations tackled some of the problems, none tackled all six.

So we committed to collectively tackling all six problems with a

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BCNSSM

The American Nutrition Association® is Born

Drawn to our powerful collective synergy, our leaders and

organizations made a historic decision. We are combining into one

unified entity to unleash nutrition’s potential to reverse the chronic

disease and obesity crisis.

The ANA envisions a society of

Healthy People Powered by Nutrition.

We bring that vision to life through our mission to

Champion the Science and Practice of Personalized Nutrition.

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02Most health professionals are untrained in nutrition science and practice.

■ Only 25% of medical schools require

students to take even one dedicated

nutrition course.16

■ Health professionals report a

profound lack of confidence

incorporating nutrition into their

treatments.17

The ANA EDUCATES and CERTIFIES health professionals in nutrition science and practice.

To fulfill nutrition’s potential, the ANA strategy is to: EDUCATE | CERTIFY | ADVOCATE | CONNECT

The public has limited access to science-based, unbiased nutrition information.

■ 80% of Americans encounter conflicting

nutrition information, typically from

online and news sources.18

■ Many are highly skeptical of nutrition

information, distrusting the credibility

of any source.18,19

The ANA EDUCATES the public in science-based, unbiased nutrition, both directly and through the professionals we train.

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Public policy radically under-prioritizes nutrition.

■ Many states’ outdated laws actually

make it illegal for even highly

qualified professionals to practice

nutrition.20

■ Insurance reimbursement for nutrition

intervention is trivial compared to its

effectiveness for chronic disease.21,22

The ANA ADVOCATES for state and federal policy that expands public access to nutrition practitioners and insurance reimbursement.

Nutrition stakeholders and efforts have been disconnected.

■ No single organization had targeted

the nutrition gap comprehensively.

■ Nutrition stakeholders lack strong

connections to one another.

The ANA CONNECTS an ecosystem of universities, policymakers, health professions, the food movement, aligned corporations, and public advocates.

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One-size-fits-all nutrition guidelines do not address the unique needs of each individual.

■ Obesity rates have more than

tripled since 1975.23 The US Dietary

Guidelines were introduced in 1980,

and have failed to address rising

obesity and chronic disease rates.

The ANA champions the science and practice of personalized nutrition, using data and technology to amplify nutrition’s effectiveness.

Biased information has been spread to health professionals and the public.

■ Candy trade associations and

soda companies recently funded

questionable studies in an attempt

to downplay the perceived impact of

their products on obesity.24,25,26

■ The Sugar Research Foundation

funded research in the 1960s and 70s

to portray fat as the primary dietary

culprit in heart disease, biasing

culture and policy for decades.27

The ANA has developed a ground-breaking corporate relationship policy, only accepting funding from companies aligned with the ANA Vision, Mission and Values.

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THE ANA BUILDS ON 60 YEARS OF COMPELLING PROGRAMSEDUCATE

■ Host the Personalized NutritionSM Annual Conference, the premier learning

destination for health professionals and scientists for 60 years

■ Publish the peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of NutritionSM,

advancing the latest nutrition scientific research

■ Deliver hundreds of science-based nutrition presentations to the public

CERTIFY ■ Administer the gold-standard certification for nutrition practitioners:

the Certified Nutrition Specialist®

■ Train and certify in specialties, such as nutrigenomics and ketogenic nutrition

■ Set curriculum standards for university programs in advanced nutrition

ADVOCATE ■ Build on our achievements of nutrition-friendly licensure laws in 17 states, and

expanded or protected right to practice nutrition in 15 other states

CONNECT ■ Anchor an ecosystem of collaborative stakeholders in nutrition

EDUCATE CERTIFY

ADVOCATE CONNECT

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LISA: POWERED TO HEALTH WITH NUTRITION

Lisa spent half of her 45 years battling severe gastrointestinal (GI) pain. She was misdiagnosed and ineffectively treated. Constantly unwell, she couldn’t do the

things she enjoyed, such as spend quality time or go on a vacation with her husband and

daughter. She was finally diagnosed with colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Yet despite trying several care providers and medications, Lisa’s condition deteriorated.

She began to also suffer debilitating migraines, low energy and reflux. She felt defeated.

Lisa decided to seek the help of a Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®) and shared:

“I’ve been to numerous dietary professionals and doctors. It feels like no one can help,

and I’ll never be my best self as long as I have colitis.”

Lisa’s CNS worked to understand her personal history, toxic exposures, eating patterns,

food allergies, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Her CNS then tailored a nutrition

intervention to her unique needs, incorporating nutrient-rich vegetables, blended foods,

bone broths, and targeted supplements.

After just one month Lisa experienced vast improvement in her GI pain and headaches. She and her CNS honed her plan with targeted supplements, stress-

reduction techniques, and a gut-healing protocol to replace inflammatory foods with

nutrient-rich, therapeutic foods.

After five months, Lisa had no migraines, virtually no GI pain, and a vastly brighter

outlook on her life and opportunities. Lisa celebrated her new freedom from 20 years

of suffering: She and her family were able to spend truly worry-free time together

on a beach vacation!

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This is a turning point in the health of our society.The American Nutrition Association is poised

to unleash nutrition’s potential to reverse chronic

disease and obesity.

WE ARE MUCH MORE THAN AN ORGANIZATION. WE ARE A MOVEMENT.THE ANA

MOVEMENT

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If you share this vision, join the ANA movement and help turn our shared vision for society into reality:

HEALTHY PEOPLE POWERED BY NUTRITION

MICHAEL STROKA JD, MBA, MS, CNS, LDN Chief Executive Officer

MStroka@theANA.org | 773.562.2807

AMY TAYLOR Director of Development

ATaylor@theANA.org | 773.627.3660

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CITATIONS

FOR YOUR REFERENCE

1.The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesHealth Information Center. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity. Accessed May 1, 2019.

2. Dabrowska A. Childhood Overweight and Obesity: Data Brief. 2014.

3. NCCDPHP. Chronic Diseases in America. Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/info-graphic/chronic-diseases.htm. Accessed May 1, 2019.

4. Chronic Illness and the State of Our Children’s Health. Focus for Health. https://www.focusforhealth.org/chronic-illnesses-and-the-state-of-our-childrens-health/. Accessed May 1, 2019.

5. NCCDPHP. The Power of Prevention Chronic Disease: The Public Health Challenge of the 21st Century 2009. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/2009-Power-of-Prevention.pdf.

6. NCCDPHP. Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm. Accessed May 1, 2019.

7. Afshin A, Sur PJ, Fay KA, et al. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis forthe Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2019.

8. Willett, Walter C., et al. “Prevention of chronic disease by means of diet and lifestyle changes.” Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, 2006.

9. US Burden of Disease Collaborators. “The State of US Health, 1990-2010: Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors”. Journal of American Medical Association. 2013; 310(6):591-606. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.13805.

10. Rappaport SM. Implications of the exposome for exposure science. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2011 Jan-Feb; 21(1):5-9.

11. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle intervention or Metformin, N Engl J Med 2002; 346:393-403 February 2002 DOI: 1-.1056/NEJMOA012512.

12. Vacek, JL, et al, Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease, N Engl J Med 2016; 375:234902358 December 15, 2016 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1605086.

13. Vetter ML, Herring SJ, Sood M, Shah NR, Kalet AL. What do resident physicians know about nutrition? An evaluation of attitudes, self-perceived proficiency and knowledge. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2008;27(2):287-298.

14. IFIC. 2018 Food and Health Survey. International Food Information Council Foundation. https://foodinsight.org/wp-con-tent/uploads/2018/05/2018-FHS-Report-FINAL.pdf. Published 2018. Accessed May 1, 2019.

15. Schlaff AL. Behavior Change in America: Public Health, Medicine, and Individual Counseling. American Medical Association Journal of Ethics. 2013;15(4):353-361.

16. Eisenberg DM, Burgess JD. Nutrition Education in an Era of Global Obesity and Diabetes: Thinking Outside the Box. Aca-demic Medicine. 2015;90(7):854-860.

17. Adams KM, Kohlmeier M, Powell M, Zeisel SH. Nutrition in medicine: nutrition education for medical students and residents. Nutrition in clinical practice: Official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2010;25(5):471-480.

18.International Food Information Council Foundation. 2018 Food and Health Survey. https://foodinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-FHS-Report-FINAL.pdf.

19. International Food Information Council Foundation. Views Toward Nutrition and Healthful Eating Among Millennials 2013. https://foodinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Report-IFIC-Foundation-Millennial-Focus-Groups-11-20-2013.pdf.

20. How has nutrition licensure been misused? Center for Nutrition Advocacy. http://www.nutritionadvocacy.org/how-has-nutrition-licensure-been-misused. Accessed May 3, 2019.

21. Is my test, item, or service covered?: Nutrition therapy services. Medicare. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/nutrition-therapy-services. Accessed May 3, 2019.

22. Prevention and Health Care Reform. American Society of Nutrition. https://nutrition.org/prevention-and-health-care-reform. Accessed May 1, 2019.

23 Jaacks LM, Vandevijvere S, Pan A, et al. The obesity transition: stages of the global epidemic. The Lancet Diabetes & Endo-crinology. 2019;7(3):231-240.

24. Simon M. Nutrition Scientists on the Take from Big Food: Has the American Society for Nutrition lost all credibility? 2015.

25. Schumaker E. Harvard’s Sugar Industry Scandal Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sugar-harvard-scandal-nutrition-study_n_57d8088ee4b0aa4b722c6417. Published 2016. Accessed May 1, 2019.

26. Nestle M. Food Industry Funding of Nutrition Research: The Relevance of History for Current Debates. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2016;176(11):1685-1686.

27. Kearns CE, Schmidt LA, Glantz SA. Sugar Industry and Coronary Heart Disease Research: A Historical Analysis of Internal Industry Documents. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2016;176(11):1680-1685.