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. 2017 May;56(Suppl 1):1-21.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-017-1460-9.

Optimal nutrition and the ever-changing dietary landscape: a conference report

A Shao  1 , A Drewnowski  2 , D C Willcox  3 , L Krämer  4 , C Lausted  5 , M Eggersdorfer  6 , J Mathers  7 , J D Bell  8 , R K Randolph  9 , R Witkamp  10 , J C Griffiths  11
Affiliations

Optimal nutrition and the ever-changing dietary landscape: a conference report

A Shao et al. Eur J Nutr. 2017 May.

Abstract

The field of nutrition has evolved rapidly over the past century. Nutrition scientists and policy makers in the developed world have shifted the focus of their efforts from dealing with diseases of overt nutrient deficiency to a new paradigm aimed at coping with conditions of excess-calories, sedentary lifestyles and stress. Advances in nutrition science, technology and manufacturing have largely eradicated nutrient deficiency diseases, while simultaneously facing the growing challenges of obesity, non-communicable diseases and aging. Nutrition research has gone through a necessary evolution, starting with a reductionist approach, driven by an ambition to understand the mechanisms responsible for the effects of individual nutrients at the cellular and molecular levels. This approach has appropriately expanded in recent years to become more holistic with the aim of understanding the role of nutrition in the broader context of dietary patterns. Ultimately, this approach will culminate in a full understanding of the dietary landscape-a web of interactions between nutritional, dietary, social, behavioral and environmental factors-and how it impacts health maintenance and promotion.

Keywords: Aging; Big data; Bioactives; Biomarkers; Dietary patterns; Dietary supplements; Longevity; Micronutrients; Obesity; Overfed; Phytonutrients; Sarcopenic obesity; Systems approaches; Undernourished; Wellness.

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Conflict of interest statement

A Drewnowski, D.C. Willcox, L. Krämer, C. Lausted, M. Eggersdorfer, J. Mathers, J. Bell, R.K. Randolph, R. Witkamp and J.C. Griffiths had their travel expenses reimbursed by CRN-I. J. Mathers serves on the advisory board for Estavayer Lait S.A., Switzerland. A. Shao, M. Eggersdorfer and R.K. Randolph are employees of their respective companies, Herbalife Nutrition, DSM Nutritional Products and Amway Corporation. A. Drewnowski has received grants, honoraria, and consulting fees from numerous food, beverage, and ingredient companies and from other commercial and nonprofit entities with an interest in nutrient density of individual foods, meals, and total diets.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Relation between mean cost per 100 kcal in US dollars and water content of foods in g/100 g. Data are for 1387 foods from the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary studies (FNDDS 2.0) aggregated by major food groups
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Fully 13C-labeled food products based on, e.g., wheat, rice or potato are composed of 13C-labeled starch and 13C-labeled protein. The labeled hydrolysis products, labeled glucose (black) and free labeled amino acids (red) enter metabolism and enrichment patterns in the plasma metabolites, measured by GC–MS. Lac lactate, Ala alanine, OxAc oxaloacetate, Cit citrate, aKG alpha-ketoglutarate, Glu glutamate, LDH lactate dehydrogenase, PDH pyruvate dehydrogenase, CS citrate synthase, Aco aconitase, IDH isocitrate dehydrogenase, GDH glutamate dehydrogenase
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Axial MR images from the lower leg of 5 volunteers, showing typical changes arising as a result of the normal aging process. This includes both a reduction in the proportion of ‘muscle mass’ and the ‘quality’ of the muscle, with a visible increase in the amount of intermuscular fat deposited
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Schematic of current working models for the relationships between mechanisms of aging, age-related functional decline and chronic disease. The proposed interactions between these mechanisms and phytonutrients are depicted by green text
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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