During the Consumer Federation of America’s National Food Policy Conference in Washington D.C. earlier this month, Kellie Casavale, Ph.D., director of the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Evidence Center at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, emphasized the necessity of integrating research from various scientific disciplines to advance nutrition discovery.
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Casavale noted that a comprehensive evaluation of multi-disciplinary research is crucial for guiding nutrition policy and food system decisions. The Evidence Center conducts systematic reviews for decision-making bodies, including federal agencies, to inform policies, programs, and regulations regarding human health and the agri-food system.
"The Evidence Center’s mandate to develop new methods for multi-disciplinary evidence synthesis was a major reason for me joining as director in 2025," Casavale stated. She explained that systematic analyses from different disciplines can create significant leverage points for policymakers.
With over 20 years of federal service, Casavale previously led scientific collaborations and systematic review programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The systematic review methodologies she developed at USDA continue to shape the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Casavale participated in a panel discussion titled "The Future of Nutrition Research" alongside Andrew Bremer, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Nutrition Research, and Mduduzi Mbuya, Ph.D., director of knowledge leadership at Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. The panel was moderated by Catherine Woteki, Ph.D., former undersecretary of the USDA's Research, Education, and Economics mission area.
Addressing the need for current scientific data to support nutrition policy, Casavale highlighted the outdated Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for infants, which are often based on evidence over 40 years old. "Now is the time to focus on infant nutrition," she asserted, noting the lack of nationally representative data on human milk composition in the U.S.
The discussion underscored opportunities for the nutrition research community to collaborate in producing transparent and applicable evidence for policymakers and the food industry. Casavale expressed her excitement about being part of an organization committed to rigorous and unbiased evaluations of scientific knowledge, aiming to positively impact lives. The panel concluded with Woteki calling for collective efforts within the nutrition research community to tackle contemporary scientific challenges.