Two scientists with Tufts connections have been named to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), which will make recommendations to the federal Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services as they update the Dietary Guidelines of America for its 10th edition.
Sarah Booth, director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts, will serve on the committee of 20 scientists, along with Sameera Talegawkar, N06, an associate professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University in the Departments of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and Epidemiology.
“I’m looking forward to continuing the long legacy of Tufts representation on the DGA scientific advisory committee and to provide science-based nutrition advice that focuses on the importance of creating dietary guidelines that reflect the nutritional needs of people throughout their life,” said Booth. “It’s important to recognize the distinct needs of older adults as well as provide younger Americans direction on how to develop eating habits that will promote physical activity and independence in their later years.”
Talagawkar, who earned her Ph.D. in nutritional epidemiology at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts, now focuses her research on how dietary patterns affect age-related changes in physical function, and how they impact health disparities experienced by under-served and minority populations.
She predicts that both areas will be relevant to her work on the DGAC.
“I am excited to leverage my expertise related to dietary patterns, food pattern modeling and health related outcomes, including cardiovascular health, sarcopenia and age-related changes in physical function, to inform the dietary guidelines,” she said. “Additionally, I would like to contribute to ensuring that the recommendations are inclusive of people with diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.”
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years and serve as the cornerstone of federal nutrition programs and policies, providing food-based recommendations to help prevent diet-related chronic diseases and promote overall health.