This year’s annual report reflects the final update on accomplishments achieved in the last year of our 2017–2021 strategic plan. The report is a review and assessment of ODS program objectives and accomplishments in the context of the office’s charge from Congress, stated mission, goals, and key emerging public health issues. The year 2021 marked a milestone for us—it marked ODS’s 25th anniversary with a series of events culminating in a 25th Anniversary Scientific Symposium. We look forward to fulfilling our mission “to support, conduct, and coordinate scientific research and provide intellectual leadership for the purpose of strengthening the knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population over the next 25 years.”

Release 2.0 of the USDA, FDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Iodine Content of Common Foods is now available. The database provides the iodine content of about 425 commonly consumed foods and beverages, and values are now available in both “per serving” and “per 100 gram” amounts. New samples of several foods, including almond and soy beverages, were also analyzed and added to Release 2.0. The iodine database, combined with the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database and the Dietary Supplement Label Database, provide comprehensive data on the iodine content of foods and dietary supplements. Scientists and health professionals can use this data to estimate iodine intakes of populations and individuals. The data also provide an important tool for clinicians counseling individuals who may need to increase or restrict their iodine intake. To learn more about iodine, see the ODS health professional fact sheet and also the consumer fact sheets, which are available in English and Spanish.

Tuesday, April 26–Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ET)

ODS is partnering with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and other National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes on this highly-anticipated and impactful virtual workshop. Whether you’re a scientist in the field of probiotics, live biotherapeutic products, or gut microbiome, or a researcher who works outside these fields but is interested in the topic, you will find this workshop to be informative. Registration is required. This free workshop will be livestreamed and archived as an NIH VideoCast past event.

Seminars by experts who conduct research on dietary supplements, nutrition, and related issues are hosted by ODS throughout the year. The seminar series is available by webinar only. Contact ODS to receive viewing information.

Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (ET) Slowing Down Fibrosis in the Aging Heart—Anti-Inflammatory Approaches With Supplements and Other Compounds Mark Entman, M.D., Katarzyna A. Cieslik, Ph.D., George E. Taffet, M.D.—Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

This seminar is co-sponsored by the Trans-NIH Resilience Working Group. 

Monday, May 23–Wednesday, May 25, 2022

The Mary Frances Picciano Dietary Supplement Research Practicum will be held virtually. The 3-day practicum is designed for faculty, students, and practitioners who have a serious interest in this subject. It will provide a thorough overview and grounding about issues, concepts, unknowns, and controversies about dietary supplements and supplement ingredients. The practicum will also emphasize the importance of scientific investigations to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and value of these products for health promotion and disease prevention, and will discuss how to carry out this type of research. Register now.

Nutrition as Prevention for Improved Cancer Health Outcomes

Tuesday, July 26–Thursday, July 28, 2022, 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (ET)

The Office of Disease Prevention will hold a 3-day Pathways to Prevention workshop to address key questions about nutritional interventions for preventing negative outcomes of cancer treatment: What is the effect of nutritional intervention before and during cancer treatment in adults at risk of cancer-associated malnutrition? Do the effects of nutritional intervention vary by cancer type, cancer stage, or treatment type? What is the effect of nutritional intervention on symptoms in adults undergoing cancer treatment? Do the effects vary by age or population group? In adults with excess weight or obesity, what is the effect of intentional weight loss before or during cancer treatment? Are nutritional interventions cost effective? What evidence is needed to make the business case for providing nutritional services in outpatient cancer centers? Registration is required.