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2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Systematic Reviews

2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Nutrition Evidence Library Methodology

Overview

The USDA’s Nutrition Evidence Library (NEL), housed within the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, was responsible for assisting the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) in reviewing the science and supporting development of the 2015 DGAC Report. The NEL used state-of-the-art methodology informed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) [1], the Cochrane Collaboration [2], the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) [3], and the 2011 Institute of Medicine (IOM) systematic review (SR) standards [4] to review, evaluate, and synthesize published, peer-reviewed food and nutrition research. The NEL’s rigorous, protocol-driven methodology is designed to maximize transparency, minimize bias, and ensure SRs are relevant, timely, and high quality. Using the NEL evidence-based approach enables HHS and USDA to comply with the Data Quality Act, which states that federal agencies must ensure the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information used to form federal guidance.