Sue Lanham-New on SACN and UK vitamin D advice

Ever wondered who turns nutrition science into the public advice you see in official health guidance and in classrooms? In the UK, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) does that work. Drawing on a Department of Health and Social Care case study on GOV.UK, we follow Professor Sue Lanham‑New of the University of Surrey, who joined SACN in June 2010, to see how research travels into policy.

Sue is a Professor of Human Nutrition whose research explores how diet and vitamin D support bone health across the life course. She says the committee’s long track record for rigour pulled her in; as a doctoral student she used guidance from SACN’s predecessor, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA), as a trusted compass for study design and interpretation.

When membership opened, she applied to contribute clear thinking, energy and subject expertise. Her aim was simple: help ensure SACN advice stays robust, evidence‑based and squarely in the public interest. That mix of service and skill‑building is a useful model for students considering advisory work: you gain experience and you help the country make better choices.

One example shows the scale of that impact. As part of SACN’s Vitamin D working group, Sue helped establish a new recommendation for vitamin D intake. Before that report there was no UK reference nutrient intake for vitamin D; the group’s conclusion has since been widely used and cited in public health guidance and teaching.

What it means: a reference nutrient intake (RNI) is the daily amount of a nutrient that meets the needs of most people. Creating or updating RNIs can influence everything from food labelling and fortification decisions to the advice your GP or teacher shares about healthy habits.

Sue describes her role as being both a ‘critical voice’ and a ‘critical friend’-testing assumptions while supporting the team to reach sound conclusions. She credits SACN’s secretariat for precise, fast work that keeps meetings and reports running smoothly, which is a quiet but essential part of trustworthy advice.

Collaboration is a highlight. Alongside fellow SACN members, Chief Scientific Advisers and other advisory groups, Sue has worked on multidisciplinary issues well beyond her home field. For early‑career researchers, this is a chance to stretch yourself, learn new methods and see how different kinds of evidence fit together.

She also offers practical steps for getting involved. Ask to observe a committee meeting to see how evidence is weighed. Explore opportunities across scientific and parliamentary committees. And remember her nudge to act: doors rarely open if you never knock.

From a research perspective, SACN recommendations are not the final word; they are a map of the next questions. Sue encourages academics to use them to spot knowledge gaps and shape grant proposals, turning committee outputs into new studies that answer what matters most.

If you’re thinking about public service through science, this pathway is open. As Sue reflects in the GOV.UK case study, you learn a great deal and you can make a difference. That is a powerful invitation to bring your skills into the room where national guidance is written.