80 FR 51531 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Generic Clearance for the Development of Nutrition Education Messages and Products for the General Public

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 164 (August 25, 2015)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on a proposed information collection. This is an extension of a currently approved collection. Burden hours and total number of responses have not changed. This notice announces the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's (CNPP) intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's approval of the information collection processes and instruments to be used during consumer research while testing nutrition education messages and products developed for the general public. The purpose of performing consumer research is to identify consumers' understanding of potential nutrition education messages and obtain their reaction to prototypes of nutrition education products, including Internet based tools. The information collected will be used to refine messages and improve the usefulness of products as well as aid consumer understanding of current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and related materials (OMB No.: 0584-0523, Expiration Date 1/ 31/2016).

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 164 (Tuesday, August 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51531-51532]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20922]


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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 164 / Tuesday, August 25, 2015 / 
Notices

[[Page 51531]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Generic Clearance for the Development of Nutrition 
Education Messages and Products for the General Public

AGENCY: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on a proposed information collection. This is an extension of a 
currently approved collection. Burden hours and total number of 
responses have not changed. This notice announces the Center for 
Nutrition Policy and Promotion's (CNPP) intention to request the Office 
of Management and Budget's approval of the information collection 
processes and instruments to be used during consumer research while 
testing nutrition education messages and products developed for the 
general public. The purpose of performing consumer research is to 
identify consumers' understanding of potential nutrition education 
messages and obtain their reaction to prototypes of nutrition education 
products, including Internet based tools. The information collected 
will be used to refine messages and improve the usefulness of products 
as well as aid consumer understanding of current Dietary Guidelines for 
Americans and related materials (OMB No.: 0584-0523, Expiration Date 1/
31/2016).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 26, 2015 
to be assured consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to Dietary Guidelines Communications, Center 
for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may 
also be submitted via fax to the attention of Dietary Guidelines 
Communications at 703-305-3300 or through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments electronically.
    All written comments will be open for public inspection during 
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) 
at the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's main office located 
at 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
also become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Dietary Guidelines Communications at 703-305-7600 
or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Development of Nutrition Education 
Messages and Products for the General Public.
    OMB Number: 0584-0523.
    Expiration Date: January 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts consumer research to 
identify key issues of concern related to the understanding and use of 
the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as the effort and tools 
used to help implement the Dietary Guidelines. The mission of CNPP is 
to improve the health and well-being of Americans by developing and 
promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the 
nutrition needs of consumers.
    The Dietary Guidelines are issued jointly by the Secretaries of 
USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS) every five years (the National 
Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 [7 U.S.C. 5341]). 
The Dietary Guidelines serve as the cornerstone of Federal nutrition 
policy and form the basis for nutrition education efforts (nutrition 
messages and development of consumer materials) for these agencies. The 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides advice for making food and 
physical activity choices that help promote good health, a healthy 
weight, and help prevent disease.
    The Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes USDA Food Pattern 
recommendations about what and how much to eat. To communicate the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA established a comprehensive 
communications initiative which includes the MyPlate icon; a Web site 
designed for professionals and consumers, ChooseMyPlate.gov; and a 
variety of professional and consumer resources. The MyPlate icon 
emphasizes the five food groups to remind Americans to eat more 
healthfully. Activities to promote the Dietary Guidelines are critical 
to CNPP's mission, and fulfill requirements of the Government 
Performance and Results Act of 1993 (31 U.S.C. 9701).
    Information collected from consumer research will be used to 
further develop the Dietary Guidelines and related communications. 
These may include: (1) Messages and products that help general 
consumers make healthier food and physical activity choices; (2) 
Additions and enhancements to ChooseMyPlate.gov; and (3) Resources for 
special population groups that might be identified. USDA is working 
closely in collaboration with HHS in the current Dietary Guidelines 
revision cycle for producing the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
With the potential for revised or new recommendations, the possibility 
for developing new messages, materials and tools exists. CNPP has among 
its major functions the

[[Page 51532]]

development and coordination of nutrition policy within USDA and is 
involved in the investigation of techniques for effective nutrition 
communication. Under Subtitle D of the National Agriculture Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3171-3175), the 
Secretary of Agriculture is required to develop and implement a 
national food and human nutrition research and extension program, 
including the development of techniques to assist consumers in 
selecting food that supplies a nutritionally adequate diet.
    Pursuant to 7 CFR 2.19(a)(3), the Secretary of Agriculture has 
delegated authority to CNPP for, among other things, developing 
materials to aid the public in selecting food for good nutrition; 
coordinating nutrition education promotion and professional education 
projects within the Department; and consulting with Federal and State 
agencies, Congress, universities, and other public and private 
organizations and the general public regarding food consumption and 
dietary adequacy.
    The products for these initiatives will be tested using qualitative 
and possibly quantitative consumer research techniques, which may 
include focus groups (with general consumers or with specific target 
groups such as low-income consumers, children, older Americans, 
educators, students, etc.), interviews (i.e., intercept, individual, 
diads, triads, usability testing, etc.), and web-based surveys. 
Information collected from participants will be formative and will be 
used to improve the clarity, understandability, and acceptability of 
resources, messages and products. Information collected will not be 
nationally representative, and no attempt will be made to generalize 
the findings to be nationally representative or statistically valid.
    Affected Public: Individuals and Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 57,000.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One.
    Estimated Time per Response: 12.63 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12,004 hours.
    Estimated Burden Hours

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                                                                    Estimated                        Estimated total
                                                                    number of         Number of          annual        Estimated time    Estimated total
                      Testing instrument                           individual       responses per     responses per    per response in  annual burden in
                                                                   respondents       respondent        respondent           hours             hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus Group Screeners.........................................             7,500                 1             7,500               .25             1,875
Interview Screeners...........................................             7,500                 1             7,500               .25             1,875
Focus Groups..................................................               500                 1               500                 2             1,000
Interviews....................................................               500                 1               500                 1               500
Web-based Collections.........................................            20,000                 1            20,000               .25             5,000
Confidentiality Agreement.....................................            21,000                 1            21,000               .08          1,753.50
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................................            57,000  ................            57,000              3.83         12,003.50
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    The total estimated annual burden is 12,003.50 hours and 57,000 
responses. Current estimates are based on both historical numbers of 
respondents from past projects as well as estimates for projects to be 
conducted in the next three years.

    Dated: August 12, 2015.
Angela Tagtow,
Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2015-20922 Filed 8-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P