A Nutrition Education Research Conference was hosted by the National Dairy Council on December 4-6, 1978. Specific purposes of the conference were to: (1) examine historical foundations; (2) analyze governmental activities; (3) determine current status; and (4) identify priorities for future efforts. The conference's general sessions focused on historical aspects of nutrition education research, on the role of the Federal Government in these endeavors, and on the current state of the art. In four different discussion groups, conference participants considered research related to specific areas (nutrition education methodology, cultural influences on food choices, behavior change, and evaluation of educational programs). Titles of papers presented in these proceedings are: Historical Foundations for Nutrition Education Research; Nutrition Education Research and the Federal Government; Philosophy and Focus for Nutrition Education Research; Viewpoints and Suggestions: Action in Nutrition Education; Current Studies as Bases for Future Research in Nutrition Education; Cultural Influences on Food Behaviors; Food Behavior Change and Its Description; Evaluation of Nutrition Education Programs; and The Future of Nutrition Education Research. (Author/JN)