WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve officials, in a new and expanded forecast, expect the nation's economy to grow sluggishly next year and see risks of an even worse performance.

They also expect food and energy prices to continue putting upward pressure on inflation, but say underlying inflation is now, and will remain, within the target range implied by their new forecast.

Most FOMC members see U.S. gross domestic product growing next year by between 1.8% and 2.5%, down from their June projection of 2.5% to 2.75%. The ranges represent the forecasts of all 17 members minus the three highest and three lowest forecasts.

The FOMC members' forecast is more pessimistic than that of private economists polled by The Wall Street Journal, who see 2.4% growth next year. Just two members expect growth higher than that consensus; 11 see it lower. The officials see growth returning to a range of 2.3% to 2.7% in 2009.