The debate about nutrition and health is constantly evolving. This includes not only the need to focus on the impact of individual nutrients, but also to consider the broader context of balanced meals and diets and their impact on nutrition and health.

To exchange scientific insights on balanced diets and the link between diets and health, more than 50 leading scientists from around the world gathered at the Nestlé International Nutrition Symposium 2024. The event was held at Nestlé Research in Lausanne, Switzerland, under the theme “Rethinking the impact of nutrition on health: from nutrients to meals to balanced diets.” This year also marked the 20th anniversary of the first Nestlé International Nutrition Symposium.

In his opening speech, Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke highlighted the importance of supporting people in achieving balanced diets in a sustainable way. Bulcke highlighted the need to meet the specific nutritional and health needs of people at all stages of life and the important role played by science and technology.

In the keynote lecture, Eileen Kennedy , an educationalist and lecturer at University College London, summarized that balanced diets should ensure adequate nutritional intake to minimize the risk of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases at all stages of life. Kennedy noted that in many countries this goal has not been achieved, highlighting the urgent need for effective nutritional strategies.

Other experts presented science-based nutritional approaches to address nutrition for specific life stages such as pregnancy, childhood or aging, taking into account nutrient bioavailability, affordability and the impacts of climate change.

On the second day of the symposium, speakers addressed complex issues such as the impact of social, economic, environmental, microbial and sensory factors on dietary intake and health. Models to drive behavioral change towards balanced diets such as portion control, personalized recommendations and the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools were also presented with promising scientific data to support their use.

In his closing remarks, Nestlé CTO Stefan Palzer said the symposium provided a very rich and diverse discussion of scientific evidence, bringing greater clarity to the link between food, diet and health. He also highlighted the gaps in research and emphasized the importance of nutritional science as a guiding principle to help people achieve balanced nutrition in a complex environment.