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A Decade of Nutrition and Health Disparities Research at NIH, 2010-2019
Alison G M Brown1, Scarlet Shi1, Samantha Adas2
1Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch, Prevention and Population Sciences Program, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
Introduction:
Nutrition health disparities include differences in incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of diet-related diseases and conditions. Often, race, ethnicity, and the social determinants of health are associated with dietary intake and related health disparities. This report describes the nutrition health disparities research supported by NIH over the past decade and offers future research opportunities relevant to NIH's mission as described in the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research.
Methods:
Data were extracted from an internal reporting system from FY2010 to FY2019 using the Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization spending categories for Nutrition and Health Disparities.
Results:
Over the past decade, NIH-supported nutrition and health disparities research increased, from 860 grants in 2010 to 937 grants in FY2019, whereas total nutrition and health disparities funding remained relatively stable. The top 5 Institutes/Centers that funded nutrition and health disparities research (on the basis of both grant numbers and dollars) were identified. Principal areas of focus included several chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease) and research disciplines (e.g., clinical research and behavioral and social science). Focus areas related to special populations included pediatrics, minority health, aging, and women's health.
Conclusions:
The gaps and trends identified in this analysis highlight the need for future nutrition and health disparities research, including a focus on American Indian and Asian populations and the growing topics of rural health, maternal health, and food insecurity. In alignment with the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research, health equity may be advanced through innovative research approaches to develop effective targeted interventions to address these disparities.