The Healthy People 2020 evidence-based resources identified have been selected by subject matter experts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources. Each of the selected evidence-based resources has been rated and classified according to a set of selection criteria based, in part, on publication status, publication type, and number of studies. This classification scheme does not necessarily consider all dimensions of quality, such as statistical significance, effect size (e.g., magnitude of effect), meaningfulness of effect, additional effect over control, and study design (e.g., sample size, power, internal validity, external validity, generalizability, potential biases, potential confounders).
Clinical Recommendations
The following clinical recommendations come from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 
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Behavioral Counseling in Primary Care to Promote a Healthy Diet
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends intensive behavioral dietary counseling for adult patients with hyperlipidemia and other known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease. Intensive counseling can be delivered by primary care clinicians or by referral to other specialists, such as nutritionists or dietitians.
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Screening for Iron Deficiency Anemia—Including Iron Supplementation for Children and Pregnant Women
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine iron supplementation for asymptomatic children aged 6 to 12 months who are at increased risk for iron deficiency anemia.
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Screening for Obesity in Adults
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that clinicians screen all adult patients for obesity and offer intensive counseling and behavioral interventions to promote sustained weight loss for obese adults.
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Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that clinicians screen children aged 6 years and older for obesity and offer them or refer them to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions to promote improvement in weight status.
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Consumer Information
The following consumer resources are from the Quick Guide to Healthy Living at healthfinder.gov.
Snacks give kids important nutrients and help control hunger between meals. Get ideas for healthy snacks your kids will enjoy.
Talking with a friend or family member about losing weight can be hard. If you want to help a loved one reach a healthy weight, these tips can help you get the conversation started.
Use this list the next time you go food shopping to help you choose heart healthy foods.
Take steps today to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Your body needs the right vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to stay healthy.
To stay at a healthy weight, balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn (use up). If you need to lose weight, start by setting small goals.
Get enough calcium every day to keep your bones strong. Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis (bone loss).
Eat healthy, stay active, and see your doctor or midwife regularly.
Help your child stay at a healthy weight by balancing what your child eats with physical activity.
You can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by eating healthy and staying active.
Use these tips to help reduce the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet. Most people eat much more sodium than they need.
Use this list the next time you go food shopping to help you choose foods low in sodium (salt). Most people eat much more sodium than they need.
Sometimes a family member or friend could use a little encouragement to make a healthy change. Use these tips to start a conversation about eating healthy.
Use this list the next time you go food shopping to help you choose foods high in calcium.
Use these tips to choose foods that will help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
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