Abstract
Despite the rising rates of obesity, many Americans are not meeting their dietary needs for essential nutrients. Diets that are energy-rich but nutrient-poor lead to obesity and the underconsumption of several nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and folic acid. One way to assist the increasingly undernourished yet overfed American consumer in selecting nutrient-rich diets is to develop a science-based system of nutrient profiling that will help clearly identify healthful, nutrient-rich foods. The American Society for Nutrition Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2008 featured a Public Information Committee symposium on nutrient profiling. The session, "Nutrition Profiling: Global Policies and Perspectives," addressed science-based approaches to nutrient profiling from a global policy perspective in the hope that a better understanding of the implications of nutrient profiling in regulatory, industry, and consumer settings may provide insights for future nutrition policy and consumer guidance