Nutritionist
BHNRC-ARS-USDA
Sebastian analyses data collected in What We Eat in America, the dietary intake component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), with the aims of assessing the dietary and nutritional adequacy of the U.S. population and at-risk subgroups and identifying associations between food intakes, diet-related behaviors, and markers of health. In her current position as a member of the team responsible for conduct of the dietary collection in NHANES, she has firsthand knowledge of the strengths and limitations of these data. Accordingly, another important aspect of her work is to capitalize on this expertise to highlight unique features of the NHANES dietary data, address methodological issues germane to its correct analysis and interpretation, and expand its application through development of value-added resources, including the Flavonoid Values for USDA Survey Foods and Beverages 2007-2010 database. She received a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and a master of arts in Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation from the University of Maryland, College Park.