IUNS NEWS

Preliminary Scientific Programme on the XVI International Congress of Nutrition

“From Nutrition Science to Nutrition Practice for Better Global Health” will be the theme of the 16th International Congress of Nutrition which will be held from July 27th - August 1st 1997 in Montreal Canada. Information on the preliminary scientific programme is given below.

Plenary Lectures

Topics

· Nutritional epidemiology for prevention of chronic disease
· Genetically modified foods (plant, animals, fish): impact on human nutrition (health)
· The micronutrient initiative: progress to 1997
· Stable isotopes in nutrition research: from the metabolic unit to field studies
· Food security in the 21st Century

Debates

Topics (Controversies in Nutrition)

· Iron: is the problem deficiency or excess?
· Trans fatty acids in margarines: to be banned or not?
· Placebo controlled nutrient - supplementation trials are unethical

Interdisciplinary Symposia

Themes

· Towards optimal nutrition for infants
· Energy metabolism
· Nutrition and disease: paths to prevention in developed and poverty stricken countries
· Food and nutrition in infection
· Food safety
· Role of animal products in human health
· The ecological and social aspects of nutrition habits
· Nutritional/medicinal aspects of herbs and wild plants
· Women’s health and nutrition issues
· Urbanization and nutrition; nutrition transition in emerging countries
· Nutrition of indigenous people
· Nutrition and ageing
· Prevention of cardiovascular disease: a global perspective
· Utilization of palmitic acid: technology to clinical application
· Functional foods: technology, toxicology and health claims

Subspeciality Symposia

Themes

· Amino acids: physiology and clinical significance
· Bone health: impact of nutrition and lifestyle
· Physiological significance of bioactive proteins and immune factors in human milk
· Etiology of nutritional stunting
· Nutrition and acquired immune deficiency syndrome
· Piglets as a model for research in developmental metabolism
· Trace elements in the food supply: are we eradicating deficiencies?
· Gene therapy
· Food modification of disease susceptibility
· Role of anti-oxidants in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis
· Role of industry in satisfying consumer need for choice
· Metalloproteins: metabolic significance
· Protein/energy requirements of elite athletes
· Technologies in genetic modification of livestock and fish
· Non-conventional sources of protein in human diets: nutritional adequacy
· Bioactive factors in the food supply: impact on health
· National nutrition surveillance strategies: a global perspective
· Alternatives to use of animals as models for nutrition research
· Fat quality and human health
· Overcoming malnutrition: a new direction in operational nutrition research
· Vitamins and gene expression

Workshops

There will be 12-15 workshop sessions/day for the first 3 days. They will be held between 1600 and 1730 each day. Chairpersons will be appointed for each of the workshops, however, most of the presenters at the workshops will be chosen from submitted abstracts. The topics may be complimentary to the chosen symposia themes but may also cover any other areas.

Suggested Topics for Workshops

· International harmonization of recommendations for nutrient requirements: a realistic goal?
· Applications of isotope tracers in assessment of nutritional status in developing countries
· Transmitting the nutrition message to health professionals
· Risk analysis of food toxicants
· Nutrition intervention for cancer prevention
· Nutritional aspects of predominantly vegetarian diets
· Nutritional value of fermented milk products
· Nutritional training for non-nutrition specialists: new approaches
· Nutrition and respiratory diseases
· Vitamin A: an update on global deficiency
· Dietary fibres: is it time for health claims?
· Impact of nutrition education on community health
· Dietary sources of ergogenic aids for elite athletes: fact or fiction?
· Environmental pollution and nutrition
· Growth standards for infants and children

For more information with regard to the scientific programme please contact: Dr Stephanie Atkinson, Department of Pediatrics, Room 3V42, McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON. Canada L8N 3Z5 Phone: 1 905 5212100 ext. 5644 Fax: 1 905 5211703 Email: [email protected].

For information on IUNS activities in general please contact: Professor Aree Valyasevi, President, IUNS, c/o Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakorn Chaisri, Nakorn Pathom 73170, Thailand. Phone: 66 2 4419035 or 4419039 Fax: 66 2 4419344 or 5169403 or Professor Joseph Hautvast, Secretary-General IUNS, c/o Dept of Human Nutrition, Wageningen Agricultural University, Bomenweg 2, PO Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. Phone: 31 8370 82589 Fax: 31 8370 83342.