Looking back at thought leadership through successive annual summits leading to the 9th International Summit on Nutrition and Health
Contributors: Saakshi Sharma, Ramya Rajaram, Lauren Ball, Debotriya Chowdhury, Matheus Abrantes, Shumone Ray.
Introduction
Founded in 2008, the NNEdPro Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health embarked on a journey of innovation, education, and research in the field of nutrition and health. Recognising the need for improved nutritional care in European countries, NNEdPro has been dedicated to delivering impactful research, building capacity, and influencing policy in medical and healthcare nutrition. With a multidisciplinary approach and a global network of professionals, NNEdPro strives to address the global crisis of malnutrition in all its forms, aligning its efforts with the United Nations' Decade of Action.
The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition
This UN Decade, initiated in 2020, serves as a blueprint for sustainable development, comprising 17 goals aimed at addressing major global challenges such as poverty, gender inequality, environmental degradation, and more. NNEdPro is aligned with this initiative, focusing on the education, research, and advocacy needed to combat malnutrition comprehensively, including undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies.
Looking Back
NNEdPro has a rich history of organising successful summits, with a total of eight summits held to date. These summits have served as important platforms for learning, collaboration, and progress in the field of food, nutrition, and health. Reflecting on the achievements and themes of previous summits can provide valuable insights and set the stage for what we can anticipate in the upcoming summit.
The inaugural international summit on Medical Nutrition Education and Research took place in 2015 at Wolfson College, organised by the NNEdPro Global Innovation Panel. This landmark event brought together experts from seven countries across four continents, fostering global collaboration. The summit's goals were aimed at advancing medical nutrition education and research.
The second summit, held in 2016 at Wolfson College once again, continued to focus on Medical Nutrition Education and Research. It featured the engaging Great Nutrient Debate, international speakers, and representatives from Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN), making it a comprehensive and informative two-day event.
In 2017, the third summit in Cambridge brought together over 100 professionals from the field of Human Nutrition and associated disciplines. This gathering served as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among experts, contributing to advancements in the field.
The fourth summit in 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of NNEdPro specific objective to lay the foundation for an International Knowledge Application Network in Nutrition for the years 2019-2025. NNEdPro group members and key stakeholders, including event supporters, convened to shape the blueprint for this important initiative. At this summit, the brand-new journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health (BMJ NPH) was launched jointly by NNEdPro and the BMJ Group. Also launched at this moment was the Mobile Teaching Kitchen Initiative as well as the International Academy of Nutrition Educators (IANE) in partnership with the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) as well as Monash Nutrition.
The fifth summit in 2019 centred around the theme of Medical/Public Health Nutrition Education and Research. It was held in partnership with BMJ NPH, the official journal of NNEdPro. This collaboration highlighted the significance of research and education in the field of nutrition and its impact on public health. This summit was marked by the establishment of The International Food and Nutrition (TIFN) Trust as a NNEdPro-supported charity.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NNEdPro adapted by hosting its sixth annual summit virtually. The event successfully brought together change-makers from various countries, professions, and sectors, fulfilling its objectives and continuing to drive progress in the field. Since 2020 the Summit has been co-organised by NNEdPro, IANE and BMJ NPH.
The seventh summit in 2021 once again focused on Nutrition Research and Scientific Dialogue. The summit effectively executed NNEdPro's objectives, facilitating meaningful discussions and fostering scientific advancement.
In 2022, NNEdPro organised its most recent summit with the theme of Empowering Global Nutrition with Digital Technology. Following the tradition of previous summits, it incorporated three key elements to stimulate progress and innovation in the field.
As NNEdPro prepares for its 9th Summit, scheduled for July 15th 2023, with ~750 registrants from all over the world, the focus is on sustainable resourcing for food and nutrition security, seeking creative solutions for health and resilient populations. This entirely virtual event promises interactive panel discussions, plenary sessions, and abstract presentations, fostering collaboration and generating innovative approaches to address the challenges faced in food and nutrition security.
NNEdPro's commitment to driving innovation, education, and research in the field of food, nutrition, and health is commendable. By building on the achievements and lessons learned from previous summits, NNEdPro continues to play a vital role in shaping policies and practices for a healthier and more sustainable future. The upcoming summit presents an opportunity for collaboration, learning, and the development of creative solutions to address the complex challenges of food and nutrition security.
SUMMIT PROCEEDINGS
References
1. About Us [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/about-us
2. History of NNEdPro [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/history-of-nnedpro
3. Vision, Mission and Aims [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/vision-mission
4. United Nations. Decade of Action [Internet]. United Nations Sustainable Development. 2020. Available from: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/decade-of-action/
5. UNSDG | Decade of Action [Internet]. unsdg.un.org. Available from: https://unsdg.un.org/16019-decade-action
6. Summit Abstracts [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/abstracts
7. 9th NNEdPro International Summit [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/summit
8. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 2]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/bmj-nutrition
9. Articles & Newsletters [Internet]. NNEdPro. [cited 2023 May 2]. Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/articles-and-newsletters
Comments