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Monday 02 October 2000

Court Rules against USDA's Secrecy and Failure to Disclose Conflict of Interest in Setting Nutrition Policies

Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Agriculture violated federal law by keeping secret certain documents used in setting federal nutrition policies and by hiding financial conflicts of interest among members of a diet advisory committee, U.S. District Judge James Robertson said in a ruling made public today.

The ruling is a major victory for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy group that had lodged the lawsuit in Federal District Court for the District of Columbia on December 15, 1999.

PCRM had argued that at least six of the 11 members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which formulates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, had financial ties to the meat, dairy, or egg industries that may have made it more likely that unhealthy foods would remain in the government's diet plan. PCRM's suit also charged that the government had undercut the public's ability to participate in and understand the Committee's activities. The Dietary Guidelines provide nutrition advice for all Americans and form the basis for all federal food programs, including the School Lunch Program.

While USDA had provided information showing financial conflicts of interest for six committee members, Judge Robertson faulted the Department for refusing to provide details on an additional conflict of interest involving a payment of more than $10,000 for one member. This additional conflict has not yet been revealed, but PCRM anticipates its disclosure within a matter of days.

"Having advisors tied to the meat or dairy industries is as inappropriate as letting tobacco companies decide our standards for air quality," said PCRM president Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

Mindy Kursban, PCRM's attorney, said, "We hope that this Court's strong ruling against the government will make the USDA think twice before appointing Committee members with inappropriate industry ties."

Prior to initiating the lawsuit, PCRM's efforts to change federal diet guidelines had won the support of the NAACP, former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, Martin Luther King, III, Muhammad Ali, and many others who objected to the overpromotion of meat and dairy products given the prevalence of lactose intolerance and diet-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, among racial minorities.

The doctors' group scored a partial victory in February, when the advisory committee accepted non-dairy foods, such as soymilk, as acceptable alternatives to dairy products.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine promotes preventive medicine and higher standards in medical research, education, and practice. PCRM is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C.

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Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

The history of the food pyramid and its predecessors, the four food groups, reveals that it was not designed by any agency truly interested in human health, but in selling products, chiefly meat, milk, and eggs. It was the food boards of the producers of these items who first drew, produced, and distributed the food groups posters and information. So they made the four food groups meat, dairy, fruits-vegetables, and cereals.

The bible gave us four food groups- fruits, grains, legumes and nuts, and vegetables. Now that is a food guide we can safely follow.

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Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

Considering that we have to work with what is available, I am going to place some of the vegan and vegetarian food pyramids here. They do give some guidelines that are helpful in planning a nutritutious diet.

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For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
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Linda

Wow! David! I am sure glad I am a vegetarian, I would have lost last night's supper for sure! Wherever did you dig up that animated beefsteak from?? I think I saw a tumor jumping out of it!!!

That was a good one wasn't it Dora?

I am still chuckling over that graphic.

But, it does make a serious point.

Well.....now I know my gag reflex still works. Thanks alot David.

Amelia