A Consumer Food Data System for 2030 and Beyond

Patterns of food consumption and nutritional intake strongly affect the population's health and well-being. The Food Economics Division of USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) engages in research and data collection to inform policy making related to the leading federal nutrition assistance programs managed by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service. The ERS uses the Consumer Food Data System to understand why people choose foods, how food assistance programs affect these choices, and the health impacts of those choices. At the request of ERS, A Consumer Food Data System for 2030 and Beyond provides a blueprint for ERS's Food Economics Division for its data strategy over the next decade. This report explores the quality of data collected, the data collection process, and the kinds of data that may be most valuable to researchers, policy makers, and program administrators going forward. The recommendations of A Consumer Food Data System for 2030 and Beyond will guide ERS to provide and sustain a multisource, interconnected, reliable data system. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 ERS's Current Consumer Food and Nutrition Data Infrastructure 3 Data and Knowledge Gaps 4 Strategies to Strengthen the Infrastructure of a Consumer Food Data System References Appendix A: Summary, First Meeting, April 16, 2018 Appendix B: Summary, Second Meeting, June 14, 2018 Appendix C: Summary, Third Meeting, September 21, 2018 Appendix D: Biographical Sketches of Panel Members Committee on National Statistics