The American Society for Nutrition encourages a wide range of research methods in order to advance nutrition science
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) emphasizes the importance that each methodology employed in nutrition research adds to the field and that each methodology, when applied and evaluated correctly, adds to the body of knowledge.
For example, in order to design and implement policies, it is essential to make educated decisions. Today, Advances in Nutrition published a white paper titled “Valuing the Diversity of Research Methods to Advance Nutrition Science.”
“All techniques in nutrition science complement one another in order to enhance health and well-being,” said Martha Belury, Ph.D., RD, ASN president.
Following significant division within the nutrition scientific community and among the audiences that translate and use nutrition research, the ASN Board of Directors requested the creation of this white paper. Opinion differences are frequently misconstrued as confrontations when they actually call for collaboration.
Richard Mattes, Ph.D., RD, co-chair of the Nutrition Research Task Force and a former president of the ASN, stated of the paper, “This paper emphasizes the strengths, limitations, and interpretations of the many methodologies employed in nutrition science and how they operate synergistically.”
“This paper will be useful not only for nutrition researchers and other nutrition professionals,” said co-chair Sylvia Rowe. “It can also help people who report on nutrition research, like journalists, teachers, clinicians, and policymakers, understand how nutrition research is done.”
