IDM ¦ IDF Column
Nutrition symposium
confirms important role
of dairy in diets
IDF Symposium to review the latest science on the
contribution of dairy in diets gathered several hundred
nutrition and health professionals from around the world.
Author: Caroline Emond, Director General, International Dairy Federation (IDF)
On the 11 and 12 May, the IDF Nutrition Symposium
2021, an entirely virtual event, convened
nutritionists, dietitians, health regulators,
policy makers, scientists, and other health
professionals with an interest in nutrition and
health to discuss the important role of dairy foods in healthy
sustainable diets, the impact of diet and nutrition on noncommunicable
diseases, and the effect of nutrition and diets
on the microbiome and immune system.
The event included the welcome contributions from experts
at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO)
and World Health Organisation (WHO): Dr Franco Branca,
Director for Nutrition for Health and Development at WHO,
who gave an insightful introduction on the impact of diet
and nutrition on non-communicable diseases, and Dr Nancy
Aburto of FAO, who gave a detailed presentation on the important
role of animal-source foods such as dairy in a sustainable
diet.
46 · May/June 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
Recognising dairy’s integral place in
dietary guidelines
Dairy foods are an integral part of evidence based dietary guidelines
around the world, yet they are often under scrutiny or criticised
for their role in the diet, and in health and disease. It is
therefore important to build and share knowledge around dairy,
nutrition and health messaging which supports the role of dairy
in food based dietary guidelines.
“The high level of interest in the IDF Nutrition Symposium demonstrates
the value for health professionals to access nutrition
dairy science. As the world grapples with the challenges of feeding
a rapidly increasing global population, a principal concern
related to food production and consumption is producing adequate
amounts of nutrient dense foods such as dairy to nourish
the world sustainably, accessible to all, and without compromising
global health. A sustainable diet would be incomplete
without dairy! Dairy is the highest quality protein and highest
bioavailability”, said IDF Director General, Caroline Emond.
/international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
