MOSCOW, Idaho — Shelly McGuire, a University of Idaho faculty member, is serving on a committee of experts that are tasked with reviewing scientific writings to help guide updates on alcohol consumption. This review will go towards the next edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans offers advice on what to eat and drink to stay healthy and is updated every five years. The new guidelines are set to be released in 2025.
McGuire, the director of the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, is a leading researcher of human milk science. She will be using her expertise to elaborate on the effects of alcohol consumption during lactation.
"At the most basic level, we're going to determine if there's even enough science out there to make recommendations and we will summarize the literature," McGuire said.
McGuire will be working with eight other experts who were named to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) committee.
Last fall, McGuire became the first faculty member to be admitted into the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) while working at an Idaho institution. NAM is a private, non-profit group that includes more than 2,400 members worldwide elected by their peers, according to a news release.
While being a new NAM member, McGuire is tasked with helping inform the public on national health policies and offers guidance on health research priorities.
Using her expertise as a human milk science researcher, McGuire will review guidelines about pregnant women drinking alcohol and breastfeeding. The existing guidelines in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise against pregnant women drinking any alcohol, but for breastfeeding, the guidelines are vague.
The committee will also summarize writings regarding alcohol's effects on multiple factors including obesity, body composition, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease risk, neurocognitive health and general morality, according to a news release from the University of Idaho.
McGuire has a history of providing information to help breastfeeding mothers make health decisions. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped to lead a research team about COVID-19 positive mothers, and the antibodies their milk supplies.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
