TABLE 1.

Consensus statements derived from an expert panel roundtable event

1. Grain foods make meaningful nutrient contributions to US dietary patterns. In particular, both whole and refined grain foods can play a role in helping deliver shortfall nutrients to the American population.

2. Grain foods are meaningful contributors of nutrient density in the American diet in both children and adults, with particular emphasis on ready-to-eat cereals, breads, rolls, and tortillas.

3. Grain foods can contribute nutrient adequacy in the US diet of children and adults.

4. Currently with US typical dietary patterns, a large percentage of children and adults are not meeting recommendations set forth by authoritative dietary guidance. Removing portions or all of certain whole and refined grain foods from the diet can further exacerbate nutrient inadequacies in US children and adults.

5. Removing refined grains from the diet results in more children and adults falling below recommendations for shortfall nutrients as identified by the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

6. Available scientific evidence from observational studies does not support the notion that refined grain consumption is linked to increased risk of overweight and obesity.

7. Limiting consumption of indulgent refined grains, due to contributions of calories, added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, is necessary within dietary patterns.

8. Evolving dietary guidance needs to evaluate emerging grain research to address the nutritional relevance of certain refined grain foods within dietary patterns.

9. The current categorization of refined grain foods may need further delineation, particularly because current evidence suggests differences in nutrient contribution from breads and cereals in comparison to indulgent grain foods such as cakes, cookies, and pies.

10. Future research should consider distinguishing different types of refined grain foods with the goal of potentially creating an additional classification of grains that goes beyond the terms “whole” and “refined”. For example, dietary pattern–focused research needs to separate refined grains (i.e., breads and cereals from cakes, cookies, and pies) when assessing nutrient intake, diet quality, and health-related outcomes.

11. Future research should consider repeating currently available analyses with epidemiological-based databases other than NHANES. For example, the expert panel recommends conducting analyses using large cohorts, including the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professional Follow-Up Study, in which refined grains are further distinguished (i.e., refined grain categories need to differentiate between breads and cereals and cakes, cookies, pies, etc.).

DGA, Dietary Guidelines for Americans.