The discipline of nutritional epidemiology involves methodological approaches to determine the association between dietary factors and the occurrence of human health-related outcomes. The ascertainment of dietary and nutritional exposures within human populations is a methodologically challenging undertaking. Thus, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to assess the relation between diet and disease occurrence. When examining the role that diet plays in health outcomes, Exponent relies upon the expertise of staff from a broad range of health and food-related disciplines.
Our epidemiologists and statisticians have extensive experience in conducting large scale critical reviews and primary data analyses of dietary and nutritional factors as they relate to a variety of health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, infant allergy, childhood and adult obesity, and behavior and lifestyle patterns. Exponent’s team of epidemiologists work in tandem with personnel from our Chemical Registration and Food Safety Center, whose focus has been in the area of dietary exposure assessment and modeling for estimating long-term health benefits and risks related to diet. Exponent’s regulatory specialists’ database on U.S. food consumption is regularly updated to contain the most currently available data.
Our staff has experience in analyzing large dietary databases, such as CSFII (USDA Continuing Surveys of Food Intake by Individuals), NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), United Kingdom food consumption databases, and international consumption databases.
Examples of Exponent’s Publications and Presentations Pertaining to Nutritional Epidemiology
Barraj LM, Tran N, Goodman M, Ginevan ME. Perspective: Risk apportionment and disease intervention strategies. Risk Analysis 2008; 28(2):1–10.
Mink PJ, Scrafford CG, Barraj LM, Harnack L, Hong CP, Nettleton JA, Jacobs DR Jr. Flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: A prospective study in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85:895-909.
Tran N, Barraj L, Mink P, Donald M. Balancing and communicating risks and benefits associated with egg consumption—A relative risk study. Presented at the Annual Society of Toxicology meeting, Charlotte, NC, 2007.
Nettleton JA, Harnack LJ, Scrafford CG, Mink PJ, Barraj LM, Jacobs DR Jr. Dietary flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods are not associated with risk of type 2 diabestes in postmenopausal women. J Nutr. 2006 Dec; 136(12):3039-3045.
MacAulay J, Petersen BJ, Shank F (eds). Functional Foods. Opportunities and Challenges. IFT Expert Report, 2006.
Scrafford CG, Barraj L, Tran N. Nutrient deficiency classification bias relating to dietary recall: A case-study with dietary and red blood cell folate in UK young people (4–18 years). Presented at the 2006 International Society of Exposure Analysis, Paris, France, 2006.
Tran NL, Barraj L, Smith K, Javier A, Burke T. Combining food frequency and survey data to quantify long-term dietary exposure: A methyl mercury case study. Risk Analysis 2004; 24(1):19-30.
Tran NL, Barraj L. Food as exposure: Measuring dietary intake and consumption patterns. In: Epidemiologic Principles and Food Safety. Laksy T (ed), Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 76-95, 2007.
Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Butchko H. How "fast food" is used and interpreted in scientific research: Methodological considerations. Proceedings, Experimental Biology, San Francisco, CA, April 2006.
Alexander DD. Red meat scientific assessment. Industry Stakeholder Cancer Forum, Chicago, IL, October 11, 2007.
Alexander DD. Epidemiologic evaluation of red meat and cancer. Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, Nutrition Roundtable, Reno, NV, February 7, 2008.