The Children’s Nutrition Research Center

The (CNRC) is the first federal nutrition research center to investigate the nutritional needs of children from conception through adolescence, and that of pregnant women and nursing mothers. It is one of six U.S. Department of Agriculture human nutrition research centers conducting scientific investigations designed to provide Americans with a clear understanding of the role of nutrition in maintaining a healthy, active life.

The CNRC research is designed to establish better guidelines that promote health, growth and development through optimal nutrition for use by physicians, parents and others responsible for the care and feeding of children. Improved nutritional standards for children and their mothers will have long-term effects on the population, resulting in better health for generations to come.

Located in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the nation, the CNRC is a unique cooperative venture between Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS). The center has 50 faculty members conducting nutrition-related research and a total staff of more than 200.