Nutrition science advances explored in public lecture

Human nutrition should be taught extensively at secondary schools so people from a young age are well informed to make good decisions about their health, diet and lifestyle, says Massey nutrition scientist Professor Bernhard Breier.

"It's important to get good human nutrition teaching established in schools – the demand is there for the knowledge. People are interested, they find it fascinating," he says.

"While the science of nutrition has developed steadily over the past 30 years, we are presently on the verge of a major revolution in the field," says Professor Breier, Chair in Human Nutrition at the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health.

He is giving a public lecture at the Albany campus tonight titled Food, Glorious Food: The Future of Human Nutrition.

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy, and the role of omega-3 on metabolic health and brain function are among recent advances in disease-preventing, health-enhancing human nutrition, and the focus of his lecture at the Albany campus.

In the context of fascinating historical discoveries about the benefits of good nutrition, he will discuss rapid advances in nutrient physiology, functional foods and modern nutrition science. He will also talk about some of the research carried out at the institute, including appropriate nutrition for the elderly, the role of kiwifruit in iron absorption, vitamin D's role in promoting bone health, and carbohydrate ingestion during exercise.

Professor Breier will explain how these advances offer new avenues for nutrition intervention in the prevention of disease, as well as in improving quality of life. He will touch on some of his numerous and widely published studies, including research on maternal nutrition during pregnancy and how this influences cognitive function, growth and risk of obesity in offspring throughout their lifespan.

In his lecture he will consider links between diet-related chronic diseases (diabetes and heart disease) and their impact on public health spending, as well as current developments in food innovation, personalised food, consumer behaviour and food choices, and communicating human nutrition science.

Food, Glorious Food: The Future of Human Nutrition: Wednesday, 2 June (7pm refreshments, 7.30pm lecture) at Sir Neil Waters Lecture Theatre NW200, Gate 1, Albany campus.
RSVP: k.triggs@massey.ac.nz