Editor's note: Contributors were asked to either complete a questionnaire or use it as the basis for a post. These are the words of the contributor, who were selected by the association. Any edits made were done for space considerations.

What is the purpose of your association?

The Global Nutrition & Health Alliance (GNHA) is a newly formed group of health and medical experts focused on educating consumers, healthcare professionals, and the media about optimal nutrition— including the use of vitamin, minerals, and supplements (VMS)—as part of a healthy lifestyle. The VMS landscape is riddled with inconsistent messages and misconceptions that ultimately confuse healthcare professionals and consumers. Our intention is to stand as a unified global voice that elevates science to demonstrate the value of optimal nutrition and appropriate supplementation, ultimately clearing up such confusion.  To accomplish that, we are aiming to collaborate with academia and industry to conduct clinical-based studies, publish peer-reviewed articles, initiate educational campaigns, leverage digital and social media platforms, and participate in symposia.

Who does your membership consist of? What are the qualifications for membership?

The Alliance membership consists of global professionals with diverse clinical and educational backgrounds in a multitude of fields, including heart, immune, nutritional, and dietary health. We also all share the same perspective that there is a current lack of consumer and physician education within the vitamins, minerals and supplement industry. 

Members include: 

How is your organization different than others representing the natural products industry?

The GNHA respects, and welcomes, every organization that is contributing to the science of VMS and advocating for optimal nutritional standards. We hope to partner with these groups to further extend our, and their, efforts to educate consumers and healthcare professionals alike.

What does your organization hope to accomplish in the upcoming months?

During its inaugural year, the Global Nutrition & Health Alliance will focus on addressing the challenge of achieving daily recommended intakes of key nutrients through diet. The GNHA will focus specific attention on Omega-3 and Vitamin D; two nutrients crucial for health, but often deficient in the average person’s diet. We will contribute to the evolving science surrounding VMS in the context of diet by publicizing outcomes of our individuals and collective research.  As for interpreting, we will be readily available to provide statements or point-of-views on data or trends that are published throughout the year.

In your opinion, what's your role in the natural products industry?

The GNHA’s role in the natural products landscape, or supplement industry overall, is to be a trusted source for consumers, physicians, and media entities seeking information within the VMS category. The Global Nutrition & Health Alliance was created in response to the need for accurate information about nutrition and supplementation, when appropriate. We brought together committed experts who are passionate about nutrition and who try to disseminate information in their respective fields. One of the advantages of working as a group is to be able to have greater resources and greater influence.