Close Menu
Today's Dietitian MagazineToday's Dietitian Magazine
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Subscribe
  • Articles
    • Heart Health
    • Diabetes
    • Food Allergies
    • Nutrition Support
    • Supplements
    • Weight Management
    • Sustainability
    • Foodservice
    • Nutrition by Age
    • Professional Growth
  • Continuing Education
  • Symposium
  • Enewsletter
  • More
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Guides & Showcases
    • Toolkits
    • Gift Shop
    • Resources
    • Reprints
    • Writers’ Guidelines

Newsletter Signup

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn
Trending
  • Life After Antiobesity Medications
  • Preventing and Treating Diabetic Retinopathy
  • Popular Herbal Supplements for Athletes
  • The Impact of Regenerative Agriculture
  • CPE Monthly: The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers in Metabolic Syndrome
  • Editor’s Spot: Sculpting Behavior
  • Education: Nudging Healthier Habits
  • Food for Thought: Which Processed Foods Deserve a Spot on Your Plate?
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn Threads
Today's Dietitian MagazineToday's Dietitian Magazine
CURRENT ISSUE
October 2025
Subscribe
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Subscribe
  • Articles
    • Heart Health
    • Diabetes
    • Food Allergies
    • Nutrition Support
    • Supplements
    • Weight Management
    • Sustainability
    • Foodservice
    • Nutrition by Age
    • Professional Growth
  • Continuing Education
  • Symposium
  • Enewsletter
  • More
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Guides & Showcases
    • Toolkits
    • Gift Shop
    • Resources
    • Reprints
    • Writers’ Guidelines
Today's Dietitian MagazineToday's Dietitian Magazine
Home » AHA: Farm Bill a Mix of Wins, Losses for Nutrition

AHA: Farm Bill a Mix of Wins, Losses for Nutrition

Today's DietitianToday's Dietitian4 Mins ReadSeptember 16, 2025
Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link

American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on the Agricultural Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 recently passed by Congress:

“The passage of the Farm Bill … has been long-anticipated and the American Heart Association is pleased that Congress has come to an agreement on this important legislation. While it took two long years of negotiations and a lot of hard work, we wish the final bill was less of an alphabet soup of wins and losses for health and nutrition programs.

“We are encouraged that multiple provisions in the bill promote healthy food consumption. Sustained funding for the SNAP-Ed program will help more Americans on limited budgets make better food choices. The legislation also expands the program to include physical activity education, which plays an important role in helping Americans maintain their health. In addition, the bill authorizes the Healthy Food Financing Program under the US Department of Agriculture. This program, which establishes grocery stores in underserved communities where none exist, will provide access to healthier foods and help boost local economies.

“However, we remain very concerned about the $8.6 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Any funding reduction to this program, which supports nutrition and food access, will make it more difficult for some of the most vulnerable Americans, including seniors and low-income families with children, to afford a healthy diet.

“We are also troubled that the legislation creates a pilot within the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program that expands eligibility beyond fresh produce to canned, frozen, and dried options. While the association believes that all whole fruits and vegetables regardless of their form are important for kids to eat, the current program plays a unique role by providing the poorest children in our country with much-needed exposure to fresh fruits and vegetables. We will closely monitor this pilot effort to ensure that it does not undermine the impact and integrity of this nutrition education program.

“As always, our association remains committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to the nutritional information and food choices they need to stay heart healthy.”

— Source: Voices for Healthy Kids

Genomics: Emerging Science With Potential to Influence Dietary Advice

The science of nutritional genomics is an emerging discipline and holds potential for targeting dietary intervention that may affect health, according to a new position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy). The paper was published in the February issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The Academy’s position is as follows: “Nutritional genomics provides insight into diet and genotype interactions to affect phenotype. The practical application of nutritional genomics for complex chronic disease is an emerging science, and the use of nutrigenetic testing to provide dietary advice is not ready for routine dietetics practice. Registered dietitian nutritionists need basic competency in genetics as a foundation for understanding nutritional genomics; proficiency requires advanced knowledge and skills.”

The genome is the entire set of genetic instructions needed to build and maintain a living organism. Nutritional genomics is the science of how nutrients and genes work together to influence health and disease risk.

According to the Academy’s position paper, chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors, including diet. “Family history, biochemical parameters, and the presence of risk factors in individuals are relevant tools for personalizing dietary interventions.”

Nutritional genomics is still an emerging science, according to the position paper. Connections between nutrigenetic testing and dietary advice can be made once further research has been documented. However, “The use of nutrigenetic testing to provide dietary advice is not ready for routine dietetics practice. Applying nutritional genomics in clinical practice through the use of genetic testing requires that registered dietitian nutritionists understand, interpret, and communicate complex test results in which the actual risk of developing a disease may not be known,” according to the paper.

The practical application of nutritional genomics for complex chronic disease will require “an evidence-based approach to validate that personalized recommendations result in health benefits to individuals and do not cause harm,” according to the paper.

— Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleDFW Aiming to Be ‘World’s Healthiest Airport’
Next Article Making Healthful Eating Fun, Exciting for Kids
Today's Dietitian

Related Posts

Positive Childhood Experiences Protect Against Disordered Eating

September 19, 2025

Misinformation in Maternal Health: Flawed Drug Advice May Discourage Breastfeeding

September 19, 2025

The Midlife Turning Point

September 19, 2025
Featured Toolkits
View All
The Beef Nutrition Education Hub
Sponsored By
The Beef Nutrition Education Hub
U.S. Soy Dietitian Toolkit
Sponsored By
U.S. Soy
Canned Beans Modular Toolkit
Sponsored By
Canned Beans

Featured Guides & Showcases

View All

2025 Wellness & Prevention Resource Guide
2025 March Product Spotlight
2025 May Product Spotlight
2025 June/July Product Spotlight

Newsletter Signup

Social Media
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

The leading independent source for news, information, research, and industry trends among the nation’s influential community of nutrition professionals.

1721 Valley Forge Road #486, Valley Forge, PA 19481
Phone: 1-800-278-4400

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn Threads

Newsletter Signup

  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
© 2025 Great Valley Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.