Using the national nutrition monitoring system to profile dietary supplement use

The National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Program (NNMRRP) was defined by Congress in 1990 as "the set of activities necessary to provide timely information about the role and status of factors that bear on the contribution that nutrition makes to the health of the people of the United States" (7 U.S.C. section sign5302). The NNMRRP includes nearly 100 components at both the national and state level; the keystone components are the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics) and the Continuing Surveys of Food Intakes by Individuals (conducted by the Agricultural Research Service). These surveys were designed to measure individuals' consumption of foods and beverages and the nutrient intakes resulting from this consumption; expansion of these surveys to include dietary supplements and their nutrient contributions has been and continues to be a significant challenge. This article identifies the data needs regarding consumer use of dietary supplements in terms of the analytical demands to address the contribution dietary supplements make to "the health of the people of the United States." Important gaps in the data currently available are discussed. Current efforts to address dietary supplements are described along with recommendations regarding efficient use of the keystone surveys as well as other components of the NNMRRP.