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Position of the American Dietetic Association: Functional Foods

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Abstract

All foods are functional at some physiological level, but it is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that functional foods that include whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. ADA supports research to further define the health benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Health claims on food products, including functional foods, should be based on the significant scientific agreement standard of evidence and ADA supports label claims based on such strong scientific substantiation. Food and nutrition professionals will continue to work with the food industry, allied health professionals, the government, the scientific community, and the media to ensure that the public has accurate information regarding functional foods and thus should continue to educate themselves on this emerging area of food and nutrition science. Knowledge of the role of physiologically active food components, from plant, animal, and microbial food sources, has changed the role of diet in health. Functional foods have evolved as food and nutrition science has advanced beyond the treatment of deficiency syndromes to reduction of disease risk and health promotion. This position paper reviews the definition of functional foods, their regulation, and the scientific evidence supporting this evolving area of food and nutrition. Foods can no longer be evaluated only in terms of macronutrient and micronutrient content alone. Analyzing the content of other physiologically active components and evaluating their role in health promotion will be necessary. The availability of health-promoting functional foods in the US diet has the potential to help ensure a healthier population. However, each functional food should be evaluated on the basis of scientific evidence to ensure appropriate integration into a varied diet.

Section snippets

Position Statement

All foods are functional at some physiological level, but it is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that functional foods that include whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. ADA supports research to further define the health benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Health claims on

Defining Functional Foods

What exactly is a functional food? There is no FDA or universally accepted definition of this evolving food category (5). Several working definitions used by professional groups and marketers have been proposed by various organizations in several countries as outlined below along with the American Dietetic Association's (ADA's) definition of functional foods.

Factors Driving the Growth of the Functional Foods Category

The health and nutrition paradigm has changed significantly during the past 2 decades. Today, food is not merely viewed as a vehicle for essential nutrients to ensure proper growth and development, but as a route to optimal wellness. According to IFIC, 85% of consumers agree that certain foods have health benefits that may reduce the risk of chronic disease or other health concerns (27). This food as medicine paradigm will continue to be driven by several key factors, including:

  • increased

Regulation of Functional Foods in the United States

The boundaries between what is a food and what is a medicine have been challenged by both consumers and manufacturers since the mid-1980s. This has led to dramatic changes in food regulations that have fueled a so-called functional foods revolution (32). The FDA has no specific definition for functional foods and, unlike Japan, has no regulatory framework for foods being marketed as such. A functional food can be regulated as a conventional food, a food additive, dietary supplement, drug,

Scientific Substantiation

Functional foods differ with regard to the quantity and quality of evidence-based science supporting their purported health benefits. As a result, consumers can be confused about which products are truly beneficial. The strength of evidence is based on the current cumulative summary of all studies and is weighted by their number, quality, and type of which only the latter will be discussed. The FDA's system of substantiation that serves as a guide for the industry has been previously described (

Take Home Message for Food and Nutrition Professionals

The landscape of the food and nutrition field changes constantly. Foods are no longer solely viewed in terms of macro- or micronutrients or even nutrient deficiencies or excesses. The possibility of other potential health-promoting components found in foods has created a new wave of functional food information that will continue to expand.

Conclusions

In 1907 an editorial appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association calling for practicing physicians “to give [e]special attention to the study of dietetics so that he may appropriate and put to practical use the latest developments of physiological research” (49). One hundred years later, the study of how diet impacts disease prevention and health promotion is more important than ever. Consumer interest in the health benefits of foods and food components is at an all time high

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