7 U.S.C. § 3178 — Nutritional status monitoring

an assessment system consisting of periodic surveys and continuous monitoring to determine: the extent of risk of nutrition-related health problems in the United States; which population groups or areas of the country face greatest risk; and the likely causes of risk and changes in the above risk factors over time;

a surveillance system to identify remediable nutrition-related health risks to individuals or for local areas, in such a manner as to tie detection to direct intervention and treatment. Such system should draw on screening and other information from other health programs, including those funded under titles V, XVIII, and XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq., 1395 et seq., and 1396 et seq.] and section 330 of the Public Health Service Act; 1 and

program evaluations to determine the adequacy, efficiency, effectiveness, and side effects of nutrition-related programs in reducing health risks to individuals and populations.