Explore USDA human nutrition research projects
Browse research from the six USDA Human Nutrition Research Centers and learn about the National Program 107 (Human Nutrition) Action Plan. Discover how this research supports diet quality, health, and food policy. Explore featured projects on the microbiome, personalized nutrition, taste perception, and more.
National Program 107 Human Nutrition Action Plan: 2024-2029
National Program 107, Human Nutrition, will improve the nutrition and health of the American people by enhancing the quality of the American diet and improving health through research.
View the full Action Plan 2024-2029.
Featured Projects by Research Center
ARS scientists are exploring the importance of the microbiome in personalized nutrition.
A series of research projects at the USDA's Food Components and Health Laboratory investigate how nuts interact with our gut bacteria, influencing digestive and overall health. This research could lead to dietary recommendations customized for specific individuals.
ARS explains how differences in taste perception influence dietary choices and health.
Taste perception influences dietary choices, which impacts diet quality and cardiovascular health, according to research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center. Understanding a person's taste perception profile could lead to strategies for healthier eating.
Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC)
About BHNRC
Selected Projects:
- Effect of Resistant Starch and Cruciferous Vegetables on Mucosal Immunity and Disease Resistance
- Eludicating Phytonutrient Bioavailability, Health Promoting Effects and Mechanisms of Existing/Emerging Foods and Beverages
- Polyphenol-Rich Foods and Promotion of Intestinal Health
- Strategies to Alter Dietary Food Components and Their Effects on Food Choice and Health-Related Outcomes
- USDA National Nutrient Databank for Food Composition
All Publications at this Location
Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA)
About HNRCA
Selected Projects:
- Dietary Strategies for Cancer Prevention
- Energy Met.: Novel Approaches to Facilitating Successful Energy Regulation in Aging--Obesity & Met.: Role of Adipocyte Metabolism in the Development of Obesity and Associated Metabolic Complications
- Longitudinal Analysis of Diet Quality, Health Outcomes and Mortality and Predictors of Living to Become a Centenarian
- Nutrition and Regenerative Medicine for Preventing Age-Related Neurological Disorders
- Personalized Nutrition and Healthy Aging
All Publications at this Location
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (ACNC)
About ACNC
Selected Projects:
- Effects of Diet and Physical Activity on Maternal/Child/Adolescent Health and Development
- Impact of Early Dietary Factors on Child Development and Health
All Publications at this Location
Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
About CNRC
Selected Projects:
- Nutritional Role of Phytochemicals
- Defining a Pathway of Oxalic Acid Catabolism, Influence on Nutritional Composition, Phytochemical, and Production in Dietary Important Plants
- Intestinal Microbiome and Childhood Feeding
- Impact of Perinatal Nutrition on Metabolic Health and Disease Prevention
- Epigenetic Mechanisms Mediating Developmental Programming of Obesity
All Publications at this Location
Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC)
About GFHNRC
Selected Projects:
- Dietary and Physical Activity Guidance for Weight Loss and Maintenance
- Epigenetic Regulation of Obesity
- Food Factors, Meal Patterns, and Lipoproteins
- Modification of Diurnal Patterns to Promote Health in Models for Human Metabolic Dysfunction
All Publications at this Location
Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC)
About WHNRC
Selected Projects:
- Impact of Diet on Intestinal Microbiota, Gut Health and Immune Function
- Improving Public Health by Understanding Metabolic and Bio-Behavioral Effects of Following Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- Molecular Determinants of Energy Metabolism Regulation and Gut Function in Response to Zinc Deficiency
All Publications at this Location