Nutrient Databases: Critical Tools for Policy Development

Nutrient databases provide critical tools for developing effective government policies to promote healthy diets and a nutritionally healthy food supply. This paper highlights the role of nutrient databases in various phases of policy development referencing folic acid as a historical illustration and providing more recent examples of trans fat and sodium reduction in the food supply. Limitations of both public and proprietary nutrient databases are considered and improvements to enhance nutrient databases to support policy efforts are suggested.