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Why are the Culinary Arts and Nutrition Education Important Levers of Sustainability and Healthy Lifestyles? Potential Solutions from the Perspective of Hospitality Author: Jaroslav Guzanic Acknowledgements: This article was reviewed and contributed to by Luke Buckner, Jørgen Torgerstuen Johnsen and Wanja Nyaga. Our thanks go out to those involved in the MTK cookbook launch event at Cambridge festival, as well as the design of the cookbook which can be purchased here. In general, culinary arts are related to the design, preparation, cooking and presentation of food. Culinary art is part of a gastronomy and hospitality industry, and is heavily linked with the development of culture and society. Nowadays, expert chefs are required to have a knowledge of food science, nutrition and diet, and are responsible for preparing meals by performing culinary procedures alongside food and beverage management at restaurants, hotels, schools or other public catering facilities. In my opinion, this is something we are aware of and have heard before, but how does this all relate to sustainability and a lifestyle? Or better said, how much do chefs really know about sustainability? Having worked as a hospitality professional (in different roles and positions within the hospitality sector) for the past 18 years, I have developed a lot of knowledge of the fundamentals of sustainability. More recently this has been added to my position as a Research Chef where I now communicate with customers, learning more about their demands, dietary requirements, and sharing stories about their lifestyles, perceptions and philosophies of cooking. The development of a society Progress in technology, growing cultural diversities and political changes have caused significant gaps and inequalities which are reflected in our social and consumer behaviours and eating habits. This trend has brought confusion, even in gastronomy. For example, using terms like “sustainable, green, eco-friendly, and ethical” have meaning that everyone understands differently and often people (customers and consumers) cannot fully explain what sustainability is, or how to get themselves involved. In addition to this, hospitality workforces, for instance chefs, have the capacity and potential not only to develop recipes, but also help create dialogue with stakeholders, educate communities on healthy diets and work with healthcare professionals. Below are a few key areas we will be working on within our recently established, collaborative, open knowledge platform designed for creating a conversation and sharing educational interactions with hospitality and healthcare professionals, teachers and key organizations based in Geneva and elsewhere in Switzerland. “Working with Jaroslav, in running our first live cook-along to recipes from our Mobile Teaching Kitchen (MTK) in Kolkata, was such a fun and useful experience. He provided a great complimentary perspective to the experience we gave as healthcare professionals and researchers, highlighting simple food swaps and culinary techniques. I truly feel that given the important role food plays in society and socialising, chefs and healthcare professionals working with researchers can form impactful, enjoyable nutrition interventions. Dr Luke Buckner - NNEdPro Assistant Director and MTK Project lead. Leadership: Promoting healthy behaviours through healthcare, school-based education, hospitality training, gastro diplomacy and community-minded projects. Experience from past decades shows the need for mobilizing the capacities of different stakeholders as agents of change and incorporating new strategies of awareness-raising, communication and education for food and nutrition. Gastronomy has become a domain that, in addition to its economic importance, has positioned itself as an area of interest for a large part of the population, the media and governments. Knowledge: Innovating a “Learn and Share” collaboration model between chefs and healthcare professionals to strengthen patients outreach programs in terms of social prescription. Chefs today are among the actors who shape public opinion and influence the general population. They aim to build broad alliances and a global platform to mobilize the capacities of different actors, such as chefs, to strengthen policy dialogue around culture, food and healthy diets. Assessment and Management Skills: A global call to involving chefs in the research methods of creating an idea and obtaining results. In both science and cooking, known ingredients and a common set of techniques are used to produce results. In cooking, it is the synthesis of a meal or dining experience from a set of ingredients expressed through a recipe.Improving collaboration and communication. Assessment of social, psychological and biological predispositions of patients’ behaviours and the resulting health outcomes. Community Support: Delivery of more nutrition and food education to schools. Collaborating with families and community-based projects. Supporting and creating a dialogue between science and regular people (all of us are part of a worldwide community). Having the ability to establish and practice in an interdisciplinary team. Chefs have become increasingly involved in the global movement to reduce food waste, championing food waste reduction efforts in their own restaurants, as well as empowering local heroes. Coming from hospitality industry, this an area that will always exist and it is one of the biggest global cultural and social platforms and tools to incorporate and implement knowledge and create synergies between sustainability and lifestyle. This is a very special area, which needs further research and support. NNEdPro is completely following this mission and provides a very important knowledge foundation on a global level. To support this point of view and add to what has been written above, we strongly believe in creating a productive collaboration, by following this movement, promoting it and connecting with Swiss-based collaborators, as well as Think-Tank hubs. References: 1. Chefs as Agents of Change [Internet]. Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations. 2021 [cited 22 April 2021]. Available from http://www.fao.org/3/ca3715en/ca3715en.pdf

Melissa Adamski, MND, BSc., APD For many of us, 2020 was a challenging year – both professionally and personally as we all adapted to new routines and ways of working. Online learning and teaching became the norm and for IANE it was no different. 2020 saw a number of firsts for IANE as we not only navigated new ways of working and collaboration but also launched a number of new services and opportunities for members. I was delighted to see: The Summer School and International Summit delivered completely online throughout the month of September through a series of webinars and events. More than 40 participants in the Summer School from around the world. Launch of new IANE member benefits including journal club and webinars. I am really proud of what IANE accomplished during 2020. I am excited and optimistic that we will continue growing and delivering high-quality nutrition education to our members in 2021. We are currently working on launching the IANE awards and fellowships, which will recognise the outstanding contributions to nutrition education by our faculty, student, and professional members. In fact, in this edition of the newsletter, we are announcing our inaugural IANE fellows 2021, selected from our Faculty and IANE steering committee members. We congratulate them on their fellowships and look forward to having them help guide the IANE. We are also working towards the 2021 International Summit which will be held in July, with registrations opening soon - I hope to see many of you attend!

Learnings from the 5th NNEdPro Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition Key Contributors: Breanna Lepre, Mayara De Paula, and Diptimayee Jena Acknowledgement: 2020 Summer School cohort Poor diet is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality, with 11 million deaths in 2017 attributable to diet-related risk factors [1]. The double burden of malnutrition, characterised by the coexistence of undernutrition along with overweight and obesity, or diet-related noncommunicable diseases, has global implications for health, the environment and the economy. In 2015, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by United Nations (UN) member states as a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity by 2030 [2]. One key goal was to achieve “Zero Hunger”[2] and alongside the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025 report [3], this represents a significant commitment to eliminate all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The UN Decade of Family Farming, 2019-2028 (UNDFF) is aimed at strengthening family farming practices to achieve sustainable food systems that meet SDGs in an inclusive, collaborative and coherent way [4]. Despite some progress made towards achieving SDGs, the prevalence of malnutrition is increasing [5]. Globally, almost 1 in 9 people are undernourished [5], while 1 in 3 people are overweight or obese [6]. Food security provides an important link between diet quality and health. Food insecurity is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as “when people lack secure access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active, healthy life”[7]. Food insecurity is on the rise, with over 2 billion people estimated to have gone without regular access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in 2019 [5]. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of food insecurity, placing additional strain on existing food systems. In fact, the FAO predicts that the COVID-19 pandemic will increase the number of people who are undernourished from 83 to 132 million people [5]. This is particularly concerning considering the importance of maintaining a healthy diet to support a well-functioning immune system [8]. There are many national and international agencies with a nutrition and health agenda, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the FAO, mentioned above. The NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, is an award-winning, innovative think tank aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025) and the UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028). NNEdPro is committed to addressing all forms of malnutrition through education, research, and advocacy in nutrition-related aspects of health and healthcare systems. The 5th NNEdPro Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition took place in September 2020 as a virtual event and was co-organised with the School of Advanced Studies on Food and Nutrition of the University of Parma, Italy. The Summer School is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Royal Society of Biology and recognised by the International Union of Nutritional Sciences, through the provision of scholarships. The 2020 Summer School cohort brought together delegates from across the globe, spanning 24 countries in Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Africa. As part of course assessment, participants were asked to answer a timely and relevant essay question: “How far do we have to go towards ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2030?” The essay responses were insightful and provided interesting and varied solutions to ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. Some of the essay responses were related to the use of digital technologies to transform food systems to deliver affordable, healthy diets for all. “agricultural development programmes that encourage diversification and consumption of home-produced foods and also increase food affordability could be carried out using mobile apps, workshops, and data dissemination using digital networking.” Sneha Deshpande “The Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in a new era where innovative strategies must be employed to overcome the challenges traditional methods of intervention contend within what is now described as the ‘new normal’… Artificial intelligence (A.I.) can increase learning capacity and provide decision-making support systems to help healthcare providers identify and better manage patients who are more at risk for malnutrition.” Maureen Maduagwu “Technology is constantly advancing, and telemedicine systems could not only be used to provide specialist nutritional care to remote areas but also to aid in distance learning and the training of healthcare professionals further afield. Using telemedicine would improve access to care and could have epidemiological benefits via tracking the spread of disease burden and different forms of malnutrition. This, in turn would increase accountability and highlight areas where further work needs to be done.” Karuna Tandon Taking a sustainable approach, using resources readily available within the local region also proved popular as a strategy for tackling malnutrition. “Millets are aligned to the principles of sustainable agriculture in strengthening local economies, providing nutritional security and giving recognition of the role of women in agriculture through a programme called ‘Odisha Millets Mission’ operating in one of the states of Odisha in India. ” Diptimayee Jena Other essays focused on nutrition research and data that underpins decision making, evidence-based policy and practice for sustained change. “focus should be on funding precision nutrition initiatives in which the community is equipped with precise data based on nutrition surveillance of their diet-related health status and economics” Tecla Coleman “Creating effective and evidence-based interventions that include governance body, coordinating agencies, an institutional framework, and a data-sharing and communication system, taking advantage of the unprecedented opportunity that is the Nutrition Decade, is a viable strategy to achieve our title goal: eliminate malnutrition in all its forms by 2030” Pedro Alvez Soares Vaz de Castro Whereas some suggested education as a way to improve workforce capacity and to empower individuals to make healthy and informed dietary choices. Healthcare professionals are particularly well-placed to provide dietary advice, due in part to the large number of individuals they come into contact with. “There are strong links between nutrition, education achievement and economic development: early life and childhood nutrition interventions may play a key role in achieving education for all and contributing to a dynamic, productive and skilful workforce” Nicole Tosi “Training in medical schools focusses on disease, but is overlooking the basics of nutrition, holistic care and preventing illness. Physicians need to have the ability to firstly recognise and then address...malnutrition for their patients” Claudia Mitrofan A reoccurring theme seen from the essay responses was a focus on working collaboratively across multiple sectors, from the technology sector to farming and agriculture. This type of cross-collaboration provides opportunity to exchange knowledge and form networks to meet the goal of eliminating all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Ending malnutrition will have significant benefit for the health of the population and for social and economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the need to transform our food system, providing an unprecedented opportunity to implement scalable nutrition interventions for change. The NNEdPro Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition is one example of the potential for nutrition education to inspire change. One key factor to ensure the success of any new intervention is the commitment and investment from local government and policy makers, alongside consistent monitoring and evaluation. We cannot afford to wait any longer to make change – The time to act is now. References: 1. GBD Diet Collaborators, Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet, 2019. 393(10184): p. 1958-1972. 2. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Sustainable Development Goals. 2020; Available from: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html. 3. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). United Nations Decade of Action in Nutrition 2016-2025. 2016; Available from: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6130e.pdf. 4. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028. Global Action Plan. 2019: Rome. 5. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)., et al., The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets. 2020: Rome, Italy. 6. World Health Organisation (WHO). Obesity and overweight. 2020. 7. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001. 2001: Italy. 8. Fallon, E., S. McAuliffe, and S. Ray. Combatting COVID-19: A 10-point summary on diet, nutrition and the role of micronutrients 2020; Available from: https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/post/combatting-covid-19.

Our hearty congratulations to NNEdPro Global Patron, Lord Diljit Singh Rana, who has been made an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), in the Queen's New Year Honours 2021, for his services to business and to the economy in Northern Ireland! The Lord Rana was born in Sanghol, a small village in the rural region of Punjab, India, but has been a resident of Northern Ireland since 1966. He was appointed to the House of Lords in 2004 by Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in recognition of his contributions to the economic regeneration of the city of Belfast. He became the first ethnic businessman to be elected President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Presently, the Lord Rana serves as India's Honorary Consul in Ireland, where he continues to establish economic and collaborative relationships between India and Ireland, most notably, the establishment of the Lord Rana Charitable Foundation Trust and Cordia College in Sanghol. Image 1. Cordia College in Sanghol, India Cordia College benefits from local support of Punjab University, as well as links to Ulster University in Ireland and NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, in the UK. On several occasions, the Lord Rana and his team have graciously hosted NNEdPro members on visits to the college and this has been a source of tremendous support for the NNEdPro Mobile Teaching Kitchen (MTK) initiative in Kolkata, India. The NNEdPro Executive Director, Sumantra Ray, serves as Honorary International Dean to the Lord Rana Charitable Foundation Trust, and the NNEdPro Education Director, Pauline Douglas, and Medical Director, Minha Rajput-Ray, serve as Honorary Associate Deans. Additionally, NNEdPro Assistant Director (Medical, Luke Buckner, serves as Lead Project Officer to the Trust. On one of his visits to Cordia College in 2018, Luke Buckner, recounts his experiences at the college, "I was met by a member of Lord Rana's team who accompanied me to the college, whilst accommodating my needs along the way. When we reached our journey's end, I met the Lord Rana, one of the humblest, funny and most welcoming person, who made me feel instantly at home on his campus." "Nothing is too much to ask of Lord Rana or his team. It is this attitude of the staff and students of Cordia College, that I believe reflects so kindly on the Lord Rana. I am very grateful to have stayed a number of times since then with each having an equally positive experience, and look forward to meeting them all again in the future." The Lord Rana's continued support in fostering international collaboration, hosting and supporting NNEdPro's MTK and through this empowering and enhancing the health of individuals in marginalised sectors of Sanghol is truly admirable. A huge thank you to Lord Rana for his continued support of the MTK project in particular, and to each member of his team who helped us implement this initiative in Punjab. Yet again, well done Lord Rana, OBE and well deserved. Quick Links https://www.nnedpro.org.uk/president https://www.cordiacollege.com/

Children’s right to safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK By Marjorie Lima Do Vale, Helena Trigueiro, Kathy Martin, Shobhana Nagraj, Elaine Macaninch, Dominic Crocombe, Sumantra Ray Last year, in the context of COVID-19, the UK Government published a policy paper entitled “Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives”, which described several actions being considered by the Government to help people become healthier (1). The NNEdPro Global Centre, as an international and interdisciplinary global think-thank focussed on addressing inequalities and implementing effective solutions in nutrition and health, welcomed many of the actions proposed but advocated for more comprehensive language and actions that do not corroborate a reductionist view of nutrition that is centred on calories and weight (2). This time, in face of several reports of inadequate and inefficient meal provision to school-aged children during the pandemic in the UK, particularly in England, NNEdPro responds to the UK Government actions in the school meal domain. In this advocacy paper, we outline current actions across the UK and make recommendations to improve the adequacy and efficiency of programmes being delivered with the overall goal to urgently protect children from rising food poverty and inequality. Background Information: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed several challenges to food, social and welfare systems, resulting in heightened vulnerability for many families, which are now facing an increased risk of food insecurity and malnutrition (3). Although the long-term impact of the pandemic on children’s nutrition and health is unknown, good nutrition is essential for children’s growth and development (4). Childhood is an essential period for developing healthy eating behaviours that might be carried into adolescence and adulthood (5,6) and therefore provides a window of opportunity to promote growth and development while also reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases later in life. Understanding the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on environments where children live, learn and play, and implementing timely and effective actions that promote food security and good nutrition in such unprecedented times is essential to minimise unnecessary risks and burden to individuals, society and future healthcare and social pressures. Advocacy Goals: The first motivating factor for this advocacy piece was the delayed response of the Government in England to secure access to food vouchers over summer and winter holidays by families entitled to receive free school meals. Despite this situation being “resolved” after pressure from third sector organisations along with celebrities in the UK, the food insecurity of children continues. More recently, the media has been inundated with pictures of inadequate food parcels being provided to families with third sector organisations and celebrities, now demanding a comprehensive review of free school meal systems across the UK. We are concerned that taking such a reactive approach, where actions are taken only when access to food is already disrupted, cannot continue any further. As such, we agree with others that free school meals systems must be reviewed and reinstated to prevent food insecurity from happening and not only mitigate its effects. In line with our response to the UK Obesity Strategy (2), we want to prevent short-sighted approaches. Feeding children is not a simple task. Thinking otherwise can result in overlooking essential aspects of children’s food environments that have been disrupted and further wasting of public resources in actions that are inadequate and ineffective. Allocating necessary resources to support families in providing adequately nutritious foods for children needs immediate action and must be prioritised. Poor quality diets can manifest as undernutrition, obesity, or nutritional deficiencies with potentially lifelong consequences (7). We call for immediate commitment of UK Government leaders. Our recommendations are in line with and further build on those made in the National Food Strategy published in the summer of 2020 (8). Recommended Actions: Support local districts in developing capacity and systems to comprehensively identify and monitor children and families eligible to expanded free school meals scheme or at increased risk of food insecurity and malnutrition. Ensure access to safe and nutritionally balanced foods for all children who are normally in receipt of free school meals or otherwise identified as food insecure. This includes access to appropriate foods as well as cooking facilities for preparing and storing foods which can be accomplished via direct cash transfers or vouchers. Cash transfer and vouchers can be preferred options, considering that delivering food parcels that meet nutritional and cultural needs and potential food intolerances/allergies can be complex. However, the delivery of food parcels should not be excluded considering other factors that might prevent families from physically accessing foods. In addition to the expansion of Holiday activities and Food programmes, we call for continued access to information on what and how to feed children from different age groups and for provision of support from nutrition/dietetics and healthcare professionals to parents and caregivers struggling to feed their children. Support the collation of examples of innovation and good practice that are effective in improving equitable and sustainable access to adequate food (e.g., food banks, community kitchens, nutrition education programmes) across the UK and allocate funding to support replication of what works. Importance of good nutrition during childhood Undernutrition (when children have low weight and/or height for their age or gender), overweight or obesity (when children have high weight or body mass index for their age or gender) and micronutrient deficiencies are all part of the concept of malnutrition. In all its forms, malnutrition negatively influences child health in the short and long term (9). Undernutrition and nutrient deficiencies are associated with children’s poor growth, cognition, school readiness and performance along with increased risk of infections and increased mortality. The other face of malnutrition, related to overweight and obesity, also pose risks to child health and have been associated with low self-esteem and increased risk of metabolic disorders (10). Addressing childhood malnutrition by targeting and promoting healthy food environments in places where children live, learn and play, might be effective strategies to set the correct trajectory in the UK. Several studies have found associations between childhood environmental influences within children’s households (11,12,13,14), nurseries and schools (15,16, 17), and children’s eating behaviours, diets and nutrition outcomes. Promotion of healthy food environments includes not only the provision of healthy foods but also, the provision of opportunities for children to interact with food in a positive way and to learn healthy eating behaviours that can potentially be carried into adolescent and adult life (5,6). Background of childhood food insecurity and malnutrition in the UK Food security is a concept closely related to malnutrition. Food security exists when individuals have stable access to foods that are safe, nutritious and culturally adequate—as such, being food secure can be considered a pre-requisite for a healthy dietary intake and nutritional status. The global food security report, 2020, highlighted that about 60k people in the UK could not afford an energy sufficient diet, about 130k could not afford a nutrient adequate diet and 200k could not afford a healthy diet, highlighting the alarmingly vast scale of those already food insecure and at risk of malnutrition. Furthermore, UNICEF reported that in 2014/15 about one in five children below the age of 15 in the UK lived in a food insecure household, which is the highest rate observed in Western Europe (19). Even more pertinent as UK has now exited the European Union and is navigating a number of economic uncertainties that lie ahead. In terms of malnutrition, data from the Global Nutrition Report, including children aged 5 to 19 years, show that despite a small and steady decline in the prevalence of those underweight from 2000 to 2015, around 6.3% of girls and 9.8% boys are still underweight in the UK. In contrast, rates of overweight and obesity spiked within the same 15 years reference period, particularly in terms of obesity among boys (8.3 to 10.9%) (18). More recent data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) published in 2018/2019 show that the prevalence of children aged 4 years who were underweight was relatively low (1%). Significant variations existed across regions in England, Leicester has five times more undernourished children than Lincolnshire, for example. Rates of overweight, obesity and severe obesity among 4-year-olds reached 12.9%, 7.3% and 2.4% respectively, with important differences across regions. Among 10-11 year-olds, a higher prevalence of overweight (13.9%), obesity (15.4%) and severe obesity (4.3%) is observed (20). It is important to highlight that prevalence of obesity was consistently higher in the most deprived groups, suggesting an important role of socioeconomic deprivation in children's nutritional status (20). For micronutrient adequacy, data from the Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children published in 2013 showed that 11 to 28% of children aged 12 to 18 months living in the UK, had intakes of iron below the lower reference nutrient intake (LRNI). Higher inadequacy was observed for South Asian children (28%) and children from parents that occupied routine and manual labour. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was also lower among South Asian children, and those from parents engaged in routine and manual labour. Intake of sodium was another area of concern, reaching a mean daily intake of 181% adequacy. For older children, aged 11 to 18 years, data from the NDNS show that mean intake of vitamin A, D, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium were below reference nutrient intake (RNI) in both sex groups. For girls, folate, iron and zinc were also below RNI. It was noted that for some micronutrients, such as vitamin A, folate and iodine, higher intake was associated with higher income levels. Similarly, consumption of fruits and vegetables and “5 A Day” also increased with income (21). Altogether, this data suggests that childhood malnutrition in all its forms is a serious problem in the UK. Tackling childhood malnutrition is an important area for action to prevent growth and developmental delay, as well as the increased risk of metabolic diseases and non-communicable diseases later in life, particularly for children in lower sociodemographic groups (20). Government role in addressing childhood food security and malnutrition The right to food is a legal obligation anchored in international law proposed by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1999, and ratified by 170 State Parties, including the UK (22). It has been advocated that the UK Agriculture Bill 2017-2019 is amended to explicitly recognise the right to food, thus setting an appropriate legal and regulatory structure to guarantee its protection, respect and fulfilment. Also, the Parliament should publish a Right to Food Bill to ensure a comprehensive approach to the right to food, with the identification of principles, finalities, rights holders and duty bearers (23). In 2004, the FAO provided a set of guidelines to support state parties in promoting the right to food in the context of national food security. In the nutrition domain, examples of such actions included: taking measures to maintain or strengthen healthy eating habits and ensure that changes in availability and access to food supply do not negatively affect dietary composition and intake and disseminating information on the feeding of infants and young children that is consistent and in line with current scientific knowledge and internationally accepted practices (24). Government actions in addressing childhood food security and malnutrition Maintain and strengthen healthy eating habits and preventing disruptions During the early stages of the pandemic, about 5.1 million people in households with children had already experienced one or more forms of food insecurity – with more than 200,000 children skipping meals because their family couldn’t financially or physically access sufficient food. The majority of households with children were unable to access food due to lack of food in shops (almost 3 million people) followed economic reasons (almost 1.5 million people) (25). More recent reports from the Food Standards Agency show that concerns about food availability and access across households in the UK peaked during the first lockdown in April. After that, concerns with food availability and access fell steadily until September when it increased again, particularly among households with a child (26). A briefing paper produced on the use of food banks in the UK presented data showing that the Trussell Trust supplied 18% more “three-day emergency food parcels” in 2019-2020 than in the previous year, with one-third of these - more than half a million – being provided to children. Altogether, the available data indicates that households with children are particularly exposed to food insecurity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (27). Governments across the UK have opted for different solutions to support school-aged children in accessing healthy food options, including cash transfers, food vouchers and delivery of food parcels, for example. In England, the continued provision of free school meals to eligible children was implemented via the adapted provision of meals by school canteens, delivery of food parcels or issuing of food vouchers. Since June, almost three months after the first lockdown, additional children were also made eligible to free school meals vouchers, and by August 2020, around 94% of state schools in England had registered for the voucher scheme (28). In Northern Ireland, direct payments were made to families of children entitled to free school meals. The “Eat Well, Live well” programme was also extended. Under this programme, anyone aged 4 to 25 years could access a five-day food box containing breakfast and lunch. In Scotland, replacement of school meals was mostly done through the provision of foods to families with only one-third of local authorities using direct cash transfers. In Wales, both vouchers and food delivery options were used. Local authorities were in charge of purchasing gift cards from retailers that operated in their local area. Food deliveries were used as an option for families that were shielding, and in collaboration with charities, aimed to address allergies and special diets, and contain recipe cards (29). Also, in the UK, two Government actions were taken to support food aid charities: the announcement of a £16 million package to support food charities and the opening of a Food Charities Grant Fund (27). Despite increased support provided to food charities which might have enabled food banks to address the need of the emerging demand of families during the pandemic, food parcels provided by food banks do not necessarily meet individual’s nutritional requirements as they are often composed of tinned, long shelf-life products. For instance, one recent study with two food banks in Oxfordshire showed that food parcels distributed were high in sugar and carbohydrate. They also lacked vitamin A and vitamin D compared to the UK guidelines (30). Despite Government efforts, implementation issues might have prohibited many children from getting access to proper foods. In England, schools and parents have reported difficulties in registering for the voucher scheme and obtaining support by telephone or email. Also, many vouchers were not effectively delivered due to wrong email addresses. There was also reported concerns regarding the limited number of grocery stores accepting vouchers and whether families, particularly those in rural areas, could physically access participating stores (28). Also, it has been reported that 45% of pregnant women and/or parents with children aged 0-3 years old were not aware of the Government’s Healthy Start scheme, yet 32% of them reported having a limited budget for food and struggling to afford fruits, vegetables, and milk (27). Also, issues related to the stigma associated with accessing Government benefits have been reported as a contributing factor to food insecurity during the pandemic in the UK (31). Food aid organisations, including food banks, have reported difficulties in supporting the emerging number of families in need, due to a limited number of donations, and facing staff shortages (32). Some of these constraints have been addressed by the Government following pressure from media, non-government organisations and civil society. For example, optimising the free school meals scheme processes and systems, and extending its coverage and duration in England and the announcement of the COVID-19 winter grant scheme focussed on vulnerable households with children. However, many opportunities were still missed, and families are still experiencing different levels of food insecurity. For instance, a recent report from the Food Foundation has shown that although food insecurity has improved since April, about 11% of families with children still experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in August, with 4% of children spending a whole day without eating any food (33,34). Recommendations from the World Food Programme, FAO and UNICEF suggest when cash transfers and food vouchers are used, they should be of similar or enhanced value of the provided school meals, and also be accompanied by nutrition messages and education to better enable beneficiaries to maintain or strengthen diet diversity (35). Another review also conducted by UNICEF on the effectiveness of cash transfers in Africa further recommended that the value of cash transfer should consider inflation, spike in food prices, food availability and also be used as an entry point for other complementary healthy interventions, such as the provision of food supplements and information sessions that could enhance children’s nutritional outcomes (36). When food parcels are the preferred option, parcels' content should provide fresh fruits and vegetables purchased from local food producers where possible. Also, food parcels must cater to children’s nutritional needs, allergies and cultural preferences. Irrespective of options provided, it is important to keep in mind whether parents or caregiver are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, time and resources to opt for nutritious meal options instead of relying on processed food that has high energy, low nutrient content. Disseminating information on feeding infants and young children Alongside providing nutritious food for families, advice on selecting and preparing foods to feed children can be crucial. The UK has published the UK Eatwell guide in 2016 following revisions of the previous Eatwell plate. However, these recommendations are only applicable to children aged 2 years and older. Guidance for pregnant women and parents on various aspects of infant’s health, including food and nutrition, is provided under the Start 4 Life information services, which was established in 2012 as a joint initiative by the NHS, Department of Health and Department of Education (37). Also, local councils in the UK have further compiled nutrition guidelines targeting children aged 2 to 5 years (38,39). The Start 4 Life webpage has published specific guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and UNICEF UK has released a guide for local authorities in terms of infant feeding during the coronavirus crisis in partnership with First Steps Nutrition trust (40). No specific guidance for feeding toddlers and preschoolers during the coronavirus outbreak has been released. Private initiatives led by large food retailers and third sector organisations have been launched with the overall goal to support parents on how to create healthy meals with £15 vouchers provided by the Government (41,42). Providing guidance and support to parents is relevant, considering how the pandemic can disrupt children's food behaviours. Mothers’ increased anxiety and depression can translate in the mothers using more control over their child’s intake and less role modelling of healthy behaviours (43), which can contribute to less healthy eating behaviours in children during the pandemic. Parents have experienced challenges to feed their children during the lockdown, including uncertainties regarding what food to provide (44). A recent survey conducted by Public Health Scotland reported that 5 in 10 children had worse mood and behaviours during the pandemic, with every 3 in 10 also showing worse eating behaviours (45). A recent effort in the UK towards the promotion of healthy eating habits in children included the release of the Child Feeding Guide, which aims to provide credible and freely accessible online support for parents, caregivers and healthcare workers in the form of advice and recommendations. A recent evaluation of the use and impact of this tool showed that it helped mothers to better understand their child’s eating behaviours and it has also influenced the way that mothers fed their children, yet more explorations of the impact of such tool on mothers and families from more diverse socioeconomic and educational background are still needed (46). Also, interventions in the food environments where children live can help promote the healthy choice as the easiest choice. For example, making the healthy choice more visible, affordable and convenient. The recent UK Government Obesity Strategy proposed different actions to support a healthier food environment. This includes actions such as mandatory legislation to end promotions of high fat, sugar and salt options at the point of purchase, and the soon to be released ban on advertisement of high fat, sugar and salt products before 9 pm on TV and online (1). Although we acknowledge the importance of such actions, as we have previously described in our response to the UK Government Obesity Strategy (2), reducing promotions of unhealthy food options can effectively reduce intake of unhealthy food options, particularly among those from a low socioeconomic background (47), but might have an adverse impact on families’ food expenditure if healthy alternatives are not within families’ purchasing power. Promoting a common understanding and aligning efforts between the public and private sector towards healthy food options can optimise outcomes for children, their families and the environment (48). Closing remarks This piece highlighted the importance of supporting parents and caregivers in accessing the resources they need to feed their children in such unprecedented times. Many gaps have been identified, which might have prevented vulnerable children in properly eating nutritious foods required for healthy growth and development. While we understand that the pandemic poses exceptional challenges for individuals, families, Government, non-government and private organisations, those who are hungry cannot wait. As such, timely action is needed. The UK is now in its third lockdown. The right to food places a legal obligation on Governments to protect children from all forms of hunger (49). Many have called for an urgent and long-term fix in current free school meals policy and schemes (50). Multisectoral actions are needed to end children’s hunger in the UK once and for all. Considering that children should not eat just ‘any type of food’ provided in ‘any given way’, actions must also ensure that foods accessed are safe, nutritious and adequate and that feeding practices with accompanying education and enabling environments are supportive of long-term healthy food behaviours. References 1. Department oh Health and Social Care (2020). Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives. 2. McAuliffe, S., Lima do Vale, M., Macaninch, E., Bradfield, J., Crocombe, D., Kargbo, S., et al. (2020). NNEdPro Global Centre Response to the UK Government Obesity Strategy. 3. Loopstra, R. (2020). Vulnerability to food insecurity since the COVID-19 lockdown 4. NICE. (2014). Maternal and child nutrition. Public health guideline. 5. Movassagh, EZ., Baxter-Jones, ADG., Kontulainen, S., Whiting, SJ., Vatanparast, H.. (2017) Tracking dietary patterns over 20 years from childhood through adolescence into young adulthood: The saskatchewan pediatric bone mineral accrual study. Nutrients. 9(9):1-14. 6. Mikkilä, V., Räsänen, L., Raitakari, OT., Pietinen, P., Viikari, J.. (2005). Consistent dietary patterns identified from childhood to adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Br J Nutr. 93(6):923-931. 7. Popkin, BM., Corvalan, C., Grummer-Strawn, LM. (2020). Dynamics of the double burden of malnutrition and the changing nutrition reality. The Lancet. 4;395(10217):65-74. 8. The National Food Strategy. (2020). National Food Strategy: Part One. Recommendations in full. 9. Wells, JC., Sawaya, AL., Wibaek, R., Mwangome, M., Poullas, MS., Yajnik, CS., Demaio, A. (2020). The double burden of malnutrition: aetiological pathways and consequences for health. The Lancet. 395(10217):75-88. 10. UNICEF. (2019). The State Of The World's Children 2019. Children, Food And Nutrition. Growing Well in a Changing World. 11. Scaglioni, S., De Cosmi, V., Ciappolino, V., Parazzini, F., Brambilla, P., & Agostoni, C. (2018). Factors Influencing Children's Eating Behaviours. Nutrients, 10(6), 706. 12. De Cosmi, V., Scaglioni, S., & Agostoni, C. (2017). Early Taste Experiences and Later Food Choices. Nutrients, 9(2), 107. 13. DeCosta, P., Møller, P., Frøst, M. B., & Olsen, A. (2017). Changing children's eating behaviour - A review of experimental research. Appetite, 113, 327–357. 14. Paes, VM., Ong, KK., Lakshman R. (2014). Factors influencing obesogenic dietary intake in young children (0-6 years): Systematic review of qualitative evidence. BMJ Open. 5(9). 15. Yoong, S. L., Grady, A., Seward, K., Finch, M., Wiggers, J., Lecathelinais, C., Wedesweiler, T., & Wolfenden, L. (2019). The Impact of a Childcare Food Service Intervention on Child Dietary Intake in Care: An Exploratory Cluster Randomized Controlled Tria 16. Ward, S., Belanger, M., Donovan, D., Carrier, N. (2015) Childcare educators’ influence on physical activity and eating behaviours of preschool children: A systematic review. Can J DiabetesConference 4th Natl Obes SummitToronto, CanadaConference Publ; 39:S 17. Mikkelsen MV, Husby S, Skov LR, Perez-Cueto FJ. A systematic review of types of healthy eating interventions in preschools. Nutr J. 2014 Jun 6;13:56. 18. Global Nutrition Report (2020). Country Nutrition Profiles: UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 19. UNICEF. (2017). Building the Future Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries 20. Public Health England. (2020). Obesity profile. NCMO prevalece data. 21. Public Health England (2019). National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Years 1 to 9 of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009 to 2017/2017): Time trend and income analysis. 22. Just fair Consortium. (2014). Going Hungry? The Human Right to Food in the UK. 23. Ferrando, T., Dalmeny, K. (2018). A UK right to food law could tackle food poverty and environmental degradation. 24. FAO. (2005). Voluntary Guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to food in the context of national food security. 25. Food foundation. (2020). Third survey – five weeks into lockdown 26. Food Standards Agency. (2021). COVID-19 Consumer Tracker waves 5 – 8. 27. Tyler, G. (2020). Food banks in UK. Briefing paper. Number 8585. 28. National Audit Office (2020). Investigation into the free school meals voucher scheme. 29. Lambie-Mumford, H., Loopstra, R., Gordon K. (2020). Mapping responses to risk of rising food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis across the UK. 30. Fallaize, R., Newlove, J., White, A. and Lovegrove, J. A. (2020) Nutritional adequacy and content of food bank parcels in Oxfordshire, UK: a comparative analysis of independent and organisational provision. Journal of Human Nutrition and Diabetics, 33 (4) 31. Connors, C., Malan, L., Canavan, S., Sissoko, F., Carmo, M., Sheppard, C., (2020). The lived experience of food insecurity under COVID-19. 32. Macaninch, E., Martyn, K., Lima do Vale, M. (2020) Exploring the implications of COVID-19 on widening health inequalities and the emergence of nutrition insecurity through the lens of organisations involved with the emergency food response. BMJ Nutrition, 33. Food Foundation. (2020). Demand for free school meals rises sharply as the economic impact of COVID-19 on families bites. 34. Food Foundation (2020). The impact of coronavirus on children’s food. 35. Neitzel, J.,Vargas, M. (2020). Mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition of schoolchildren. 36. UNICEF-ESARO/Transfer Project. (2015). Social Cash Transfer and Children’s Outcomes: A Review of Evidence from Africa. 37. NHS. (2020). Start 4 Life. 38. Bath & North East Someret Council. (2013). Feeding Toddlers and Preschool Children 1-5 Year Olds 39. Bradford working in partnership (2013) Bbay matters. Guidelines for good nutrition in Bradford and Airedale Nutrition and 1-5 year olds. 40. UNICEF, First Steps Nutrition Trust and National Infant Feeding Network (2020). Infant feeding during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 41. Marks and Spencer. (2020). Lovely lunches for Kids. 42. Cook with Jack. (2020). 43. Haycraft, Emma (2019): Mental health symptoms are related to mothers’ use of controlling and responsive child feeding practices: A replication and extension study. Appetite. 147(1). 44. Clarke, JL & Kipping, R & Chambers, S & Willis, K & Taylor, H & Brophy, R & Hannam, K & Simpson, SA & Langford, R. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on pre-school children’s eating, activity and sleep behaviours: a qualitative study. 45. Public Health Scotland. How did COVID-19 affect children in Scotland? Report 1. Key behaviours. 46. Haycraft, E., Witcomb, G.L. and Farrow, C. (2020), The Child Feeding Guide: A digital health intervention for reducing controlling child feeding practices and maternal anxiety over time. Nutr Bull, 45: 474-482. 47. European Comission. (2018). Policies and interventions to improve the nutritional intake and physical activity levels of Europeans. 48. White, M., Aguirre, E,.Finegood, DT., Holmes, C., Sacks, G., Smith, R. (2020). What role should the commercial food system play in promoting health through better diet? Bmj. 368. 49. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN GA Res. 217 (A). 50. Letter to Prime Minister and State `secretary of Education (2020).

NNEdPro Chair's Summary We had an exceedingly successful Summer School (n=46) with a completion rate of ~90% followed by an equally successful International Summit (n>100) with high uptake of the e-poster/video competition as well as the official launch of International Knowledge Application Network Hub in Nutrition 2025 (I-KANN-25). The proceedings of the last two summits were published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health (NPH) in time for the event and the proceedings as well as individual abstracts of the 2020 Summit will also be published similarly. These events (all held online and remarkably smoothly following investment in digital platforms) were capped off by excellent discussions in our Global Strategy Day (n~40) leading to the finalisation of our fully refreshed 2021-2025 Strategic Plan which has now been released internally in December 2020. Figure 1. The NNEdPro Nine The International Academy of Nutrition Educators (IANE) has experienced growth of about ~2/3rd following the summer events and now has over 130 members connected through the dedicated membership portal. Further, we successfully held 5 webinars and 5 linked journal clubs covering a range of current topics. The IANE awards and fellowship have been announced at the Summit and preparations have taken place to operationalise these features in the New Year. Our flagship journal, BMJ NPH has met its 3-year financial and strategic targets at 2-years and is now indexed in PubMed, Scopus and DOAJ with a promising trajectory for its first impact factor in 2021/22. Development of our Regional Networks reaches completion with the online launch of the 12th network in December 2020 and this provides strategic regional coverage across six continents in a manner that is expected to synergise with I-KANN-25, IANE and our 2021 Summer School and Summit which are now scheduled for May and July, respectively. The UK and Ireland Regional Network is also linked with the Nutrition Implementation Coalition (NNEdPro, Nutritank, Culinary Medicine UK and ERImNN) which held its annual ‘Brighton Showcase’ (n>100) fully online in November 2020 focussing on region-specific case studies. Figure 2. Map of NNEdPro Regional Networks Our flagship projects, the Mobile Teaching Kitchen (MTK) model in India as well as our Nutrition Education Policy for Healthcare Practice (NEPHELP) model in the UK have been written up for peer review to share transferrable elements from both across all networks. Our science communications are now strengthened by two associated strands of activity in digital marketing and advocacy for impact and we have placed greater resource as well as focus in this domain given the digital transformation of 2020. Figure 3. Strategy for Digital Marketing, Science Communications, and Advocacy for Impact The Nutrition and COVID19 Taskforce has gone from strength to strength working in close partnership with BMJ NPH and this has led to over 20 key outputs adding pandemic-specific insights as well as dissemination pieces including a webinar in December 2020 along with colleagues from ESPEN and DSM reaching ~27K recipients. The work of the Taskforce has led to considerable impact including policy influence within the region. Figure 4. Nutrition & COVID-19 Infographic The Nutrition Research and Innovation Consortium (NRIC) incorporates multiple substantively funded research projects all of which are progressing steadily including those with the Swiss Re Institute in Data Science (Causal Inference Analyses in Cardiometabolic Risk, Health Risk Transition in India and Emerging Risks with COVID19), University of Cambridge (Global Challenges in India and South East Asia), Ulster University (Biomedical/Vascular Studies and Educational Innovation) and Imperial College London (Ethnic Inclusivity in the South London Cohort). In all these areas significant further funding has now been applied for. Additionally, further funding has been applied for in relation to regional networks, I-KANN-25 and the work of the COVID19 Taskforce. Figure 5. iKANN Infographic As a global think-tank, our wider membership by invitation to one or more networks stands between 400-500. Within this, the Virtual Core (n~40 comprising about half SLA-holders, half volunteers and multiple external contractors also providing services over and above the Virtual Core) has been galvanised through listening exercises and regular engagement including a recent survey with high returns as well as a series of individual reviews. As a result, in December 2020, the Virtual Core appears to be on board for 2021 activities which have now been planned and timelines as well as roles and responsibilities have been agreed in principle. This includes the addition of new internal leadership positions: Non-Exec Associate Director (International Knowledge Exchange, Scientific & Strategic Development), Assistant Director (Digital Operations, Admin, Finance & Enterprise) and Assistant Director (Nutrition in Medicine, Flagship Projects & Organisational Development) as well as new leads for the Summer School and Summit for 2021. All successful applicants to these roles are from within the existing Operations and Strategy Team and are already familiar with NNEdPro. Over the 2020 calendar year we have been fortunate to have maintained a favourable ratio of income and expenditure along with a limited amount of cost savings pertaining mainly to travel. The extraordinary commitment of our members during this incredibly challenging year was therefore deserving of reward and recognition. We therefore provided internal recognition awards to 46 different people, with a total of 58 awards including career development training awards, Amazon Vouchers for Faculty & Mentors Panel as well as Summer School Faculty and achievement awards announced on the Global Strategy Day. List of Award Recipients Outstanding Contributions to Strategic Operations and Key Projects Matheus Abrantes, Breanna Lepre APD, Sucheta Mitra, Dr. Marjorie Lima Do Vale RD Excellence in Education, Training & Science Communications James Bradfield RD, Shane McAuliffe RD International Impact Dr. Luke Buckner, Jorgen Johnsen, Helena Trigueiro RD GIP Volunteer Awards: Rising Star Dr. Dominic Crocombe, Melissa Adamski APD GIP Volunteer Awards: Sustained Excellence Dr. Kathy Martyn RN RNutr, Professor Eleanor Beck APD, Emeritus Professor Caryl Nowson Extraordinary Achievement Awards (2011-2020) Dr. Celia Laur All in all, this has been a surprisingly productive and successful year despite the pandemic and several systems and processes as well as projects and outputs have been greatly strengthened through considerable innovation. With secured funding for the coming calendar year we are now planning ahead for very promising new horizons in 2021 as well as an array of future possibilities in line with our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. By Professor Sumantra Ray Founding Chair and Executive Director NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health St. John's Innovation Center Crowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK Edited by Shane McAuliffe Science Communications Lead NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health St. John's Innovation Center Crowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK Kai Sento Kargbo Assistant Project & Communications Officer NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health St. John's Innovation Center Crowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK

Looking Back on the Pandemic Year What an indescribably challenging year this has been, With a vicious pandemic like the world has never seen, For many years before this point in history, The year 2020 was shrouded in mystery, Would it be the year that humankind gained 2020 vision? Or the year that the world marks another major space mission? One wondered whether we would have attained global peace by this time, With artificial intelligence running the world at its very prime, But instead, this year was sobering for us all. As we realise that we are still really very small, In the face of nature with all its force and invisible fury, And as we attempt to live through the COVID story, Paying tribute to those who have lost their lives this year, As well as those who fight at the frontline without fear, We know that advanced science is doing its very best, To prevent and treat the disease that has put us all to test, But aside from this we have also seen evolution, As society has gone through a digital revolution, And human beings have shown overflowing compassion and care, Even as the odds have seemed to smirk and stare, And we are minded to take much better care of our mother earth, To preserve the planet for future generations to take birth, And at a time that we are all physically apart from one another, We have never been so connected or united together, As we battle together all on the same side, With faith that the pandemic will soon subside, So perhaps, we have attained some 2020 vision after all said and done, Reflecting on the year gone by and lighting candles of hope for the year that is now to come, 2020 we see you and hear you for we have humbly heeded your call, And we ask 2021 to bring new and healthy horizons, for absolutely one and all! By Professor Sumantra Ray Founding Chair and Executive Director NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health St. John's Innovation Center Crowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK

Providing clarity on key messages, considerations for clinical practice and limitations of the research. Written by Shane McAuliffe RD Reference: Insights from a general practice service evaluation supporting a lower carbohydrate diet in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes: A secondary analysis of routine clinic data including HbA1c, weight and prescribing over 6 years D Unwin, A Khalid, J Unwin, D Crocombe, C Delon, K Martyn, R Golubic, S Ray A new publication in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health has shown that advice based on lower carbohydrate diets (LCDs) can be successfully incorporated into routine primary care practice, while demonstrating benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) helping to better manage glucose control, reduce weight, cholesterol and significantly reduce medication prescribing costs. In this blog piece, we will untangle what the results of this audit tell us, and some important considerations for future practice and research. The global prevalence of T2D is growing rapidly and there is demand from both patients and healthcare professionals for effective and sustainable lifestyle approaches to manage the condition. There is already some evidence for the benefits of providing LCD advice to patients with T2D, particularly for blood sugar control and reducing body weight. For this reason, LCD’s have become a significant source of attention and discussion for those living and working with diabetes. This service evaluation from Dr David Unwin and colleagues measured the effects of introducing LCD advice to a group of willing patients with T2D from his Norwood general practice in Southport (UK), over a six year period. The audit included 27% of the total T2D population for the practice, and average adherence to a LCD was reported to be 23 months. The approach comprised on average 3 one-to-one appointments (conventional GP consultations) per year alongside optional group sessions every 6 weeks, which the authors acknowledge was likely a significant contributing factor to the patients’ success. This is an important point, given that we know this level of sustained support is a key ingredient for success in any long-term dietary intervention. It is also important to acknowledge that more than two-thirds of the practice T2D population did not follow the LCD advice, meaning a large proportion remain to be considered and catered for, requiring a focus on alternative dietary approaches to meet their needs. The approach taken at the Norwood practice is an interesting one, because patients were advised on healthy eating patterns, with a focus on food-based targets rather than quantifying specific amounts. Particular attention was paid to reducing sugar, refined and starchy carbohydrates and high glycaemic index (GI) foods, but amounts or percentages of carbohydrates or other nutrients were not advised or prescribed (Fig 1). Replacement of these foods largely centred around green leafy vegetables, berries, eggs, full fat dairy, meat, oily fish, nuts and sugar free beverages, all of which are features consistent across a number of dietary approaches, not just LCD’s. It is possible that providing this practical advice around ‘simple swaps’ in a manner that was easily accessible and understandable could also have contributed significantly to the success of the Norwood approach. Ultimately, this was largely focussed on overall diet quality. Figure 1 from the paper shows the diet sheet provided to patients undertaking the LCD at the Norwood GP practice. The Norwood approach demonstrated some impressive results, especially for blood sugar control, with an average reduction in HbA1c (a marker of blood sugar control over a three-month period) of 17.5mmol/mol. In those who followed LCD advice, 46% achieved drug free remission, meaning that they maintained their blood sugar levels within a healthy range (HbA1c less than 48mmol/mol) without the use of diabetes medications. In patients with prediabetes (HbA1c 42 to 48mmol/mol), LCD advice contributed to improving HbA1c back to below the prediabetes threshold in 93% of patients. Other markers of good health also significantly improved, with an average reduction in body weight loss of 8.1kg. Significant improvements in blood cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were also seen. Interestingly, older patients (over 65 years) and those with long-standing T2D (for over 6 years), in whom it is often thought more difficult to achieve remission, were helped to achieve significant improvements in blood sugar control with LCD advice. For this reason, the authors suggest that LCD advice can be effective for these patients and that they should not be excluded from future clinical trials of dietary approaches to T2D, as they have been previously. In terms of cost, there was a £50,885 annual saving on the Norwood GP practice NHS T2D drug budget compared with the average for the other 17 GP practices in the Southport and Form by region. If every GP practice in England were to make savings on T2D medications in a similar way to Norwood, the NHS could save up to £277,000,000 per year. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of the data presented in the audit too. The provision of LCD advice was self-selected by patients, which may mean that they were more motivated to achieve positive results in the first place. In this group, adherence to advice was self-reported, meaning we have no objective evidence as to how closely it was followed. We also cannot account for additional lifestyle or behavioural factors that may have influenced the results further. As alluded to, this group was only 29% of the total practice T2D population, meaning that a significant portion were not catered for by this approach. The audit was a service evaluation and not a formal, interventional clinical trial and so there was no control group for direct comparison with regular practice - although for context, the authors point towards very low rates of remission in control groups from clinical studies of patients with T2D. It is however likely that the level of regular and sustained support mentioned above would not have been present in regular practice. In order to improve the quality of future research, we must aim to assess the effectiveness of LCD’s in more robust clinical trials, whether this is compared with regular practice or alternative dietary approaches. This will require controlled conditions, randomisation and ensuring that both groups receive the same level of support and attention that we are understanding to play a crucial role in success. Despite these limitations, the results of this real-world service evaluation from the Norwood practice suggest that with adequate support and supervision, LCD advice in primary care can be an effective means of improving blood sugar control and other important health markers. It may even be presented as an opportunity to achieve drug-free T2D remission in those who choose to pursue it. These benefits are likely to be an important motivating factor for patients and have the potential to confer significant cost savings for primary care practices. In summary, we should celebrate any intervention that improves an individuals’ health and happiness - and we are increasingly seeing the provision of LCD advice as a means of this being achieved. This audit has shown us that LCD advice can be a means of achieving this goal for patients with T2D in primary care, but this does not mean it is the answer for everyone. As individuals, our preferences, culture and environment will shape the dietary approach that is most likely to be sustainable and achievable for us in the long term. It is important to recognise this and be willing to facilitate these needs, through whatever dietary approach that may be. After all, it is this individualisation that is so often the key to success. So let us acknowledge the success of those who have followed LCD advice in Norwood, while also considering those who have not. Let us move forward with an openness to consider a variety of dietary approaches, in a way that puts the individual first, then applies the fundamentals of good nutrition to best meet their needs and values. Further references: Given NNEdPro’s involved in writing and data analysis, we have prepared a position statement to convey our interpretation of the findings

Apart from our summer events attended by over 250 delegates this year, we have presented extensively at scientific meetings across the globe and organised several successful symposia from the USA through India to Australia whilst maintaining a centre of gravity in medical nutrition education/innovation in Cambridge and the UK. In addition, this year we have clocked a record number of peer reviewed papers as well as other publications in which NNEdPro has played a key role and we feel privileged to have become the co-owners of the newly launched BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health. We have come a long way from starting as the ‘Need for Nutrition Education Project’ within the realms of the Cambridge Institute of Public Health from 2008-10, then becoming the ‘Need for Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme’ which evolved from 2010-16 in the Medical Research Council (MRC) Human Nutrition Research Unit at the Elsie Widdowson Laboratory (EWL) in Cambridge, and latterly becoming the ‘NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health’ hosted partly in the MRC EWL and additionally at St John’s Innovation Centre (SJIC) in Cambridge over 2016-18. Today we are an independently governed centre with an increasingly international impact footprint but grounded through our affiliation with four main partner Universities – Cambridge (our founding institution), Ulster, Imperial and Parma – together these Universities bring together complementary attributes from molecules to mankind! Also key are our strategic partnerships, particularly the unfailing support of the British Dietetic Association from our very inception and more recently the Global Open Data Initiative for Agriculture and Nutrition which has enabled us to look across the piece from agricultural aspects of nutrition to diet and human health. As the MRC EWL closed its doors after 20 years this month, our coordinating centre is poised and ready to carry on a small part of the Elsie Widdowson legacy as we embrace the New Year in our new offices at SJIC Cambridge, whilst maintaining a key presence at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and within the University of Cambridge framework. Additionally, the state-of-the-art NNEdPro Nutrition and Vascular Studies Platform has found a new home at the world class Human Nutrition Department (‘NICHE’) of Ulster University where, in my NNEdPro capacity, I am delighted to be taking up a newly created part-time personal chair as Professor of Global Nutrition (Health and Disease) alongside my existing NNEdPro commitments in Cambridge and further afield. However, what makes NNEdPro unique is the 200 person strong membership of our think-tank and I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each and every individual and organisation that continues to contribute to our mission, vision and aims as we head into our strategic plan aligned with the United Nations Decade of Nutrition 2016-25. A special call out to my colleagues in Ops and Logistics who make it all happen as well as our Global Innovation Panel for creativity and Directors for being the bedrock on which it stands! Finally, I feel fortunate to be representing NNEdPro on special assignment from December 2018 to February 2019 in the Nutrition Directorate of the World Health Orgnization Headquarters in Geneva where there is the opportunity to lead on the development of a strategy within the UN Decade that brings medical and healthcare related nutrition education centre stage following on from which 2019 promises to be another fun filled year of activities and events through which we will continue to advance and implement nutrition knowledge to improve health, wellbeing and society. I hope you will join us on the road ahead and see you at our Cambridge summer events in 2019. Very best wishes and season’s greetings Professor Sumantra (Shumone) Ray (NNEdPro Founding Chair and Executive Director)

On March 27th 2019, the NNEdPro Global Centre ran a workshop at The International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in Glasgow, where a soft launch of its first e-learning efforts was announced. The aim of the E-learning package is to bring the world class teaching and innovation to a wider audience around the globe. A hard launch date of 14 May 2019 is anticipated. Members of the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health can receive a a discount on e-learning. Venturing into e-learning is an exciting initiative for the NNEdPro centre which enables us to bring our 10 years of educational expertise online to an international audience who may not have previously had access to such resources. The first foray into the world of online learning has been developed using some of the content from our Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition held at the University of Cambridge. (For a more immersive experience, sign-up to attend the Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition 2019). An educational package based around the importance of nutrition in all aspects of healthcare The e-learning package will contain comprehensive introductions to nutrition and disease prevention, nutritional screening assessment and addresses many of the nutritional issues that we face today from the management of fluids and electrolytes in acute care up to the more cutting-edge topics such as nutrigenetics and the influence of nutrition on cancer. Importantly the package will be assessed both formatively and summative. As the users watch the presentations, there will be multiple choice questions (MCQs) which will help to guide their learning and once they have completed the course, they will have the opportunity to take a formative assessment to earn a certificate of distinction, merit, competence or participation, depending on their final result. Avail e-learning & IANE membership discounts! NNEdPro recently launched the International Academy of Nutrition Educators (IANE) alongside the Society for Nutrition Education and Behaviour (SNEB) and Monash University. Current members of IANE can receive a £100 discount on e-learning . Non-members who purchase E-learning will receive a 1 year membership to the International Academy of Nutrition Education. Other benefits include discounts to attend future NNEdPro events and on future online course as well as a mentorship programme. Stay updated! Keep an eye out on our social media platforms and at https://nnedpro.org for the official launch! #Nutrition #fluidmanagement #nutritionalscreening #nutritionandcancer #diseaseprevention #electrolytes #nutritioneducation #nutrigenetics

In this article we shine the spotlight on the work of ERiMNN (Education and Research in Medical Nutrition Network), Nutritank and others. November 2018 saw Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) host a sold out event to inspire conversations around the role of food in medicine. Nutrition researchers, multi-professional clinicians and students were amongst the 200 delegates. This was also the official launch of Nutritank@bsms, a student led medical society with the aim of “bringing nutrition to medicine”. The event was run by ERiMNN,  co-founded by Dr Kathy Martyn and Elaine Macaninch – members of the NNEdPro GIP. ERiMNN encourages collaboration across different professions and community projects to increase capacity for local nutrition education and research at BSMS: “Nutrition related risk factors are a leading cause of premature death and disability, much of which could be preventable. Despite robust and growing evidence, the role of food in maintaining health and disease management is often overlooked within medical practice and medical education. Here in Brighton we want to change this to bring together students and health professionals from all backgrounds to widen the conversation around food in healthcare” Ally Jaffee one of the co-founders of Nutritank joined  Phillipa Wright and the BSMS Nutritank team. Nutritank is an innovation and information hub for food, nutrition, lifestyle and sustainability. Currently, its primary aim is to implement greater nutrition and lifestyle medicine education within medical training. Nutritank has branches in over 20 medical schools nationally, as well as international networks. Watch Nutritank’s informative 3 minute animation here. BSMS medical student, Amaran Cumarasamy talked about ‘An Apple A Day’ a student led nutrition education programme for secondary school children supported by ERiMNN members. Peas Please is a collaboration between Brighton Public Health team and Lidl, helping to support families on a low income to buy and eat more veg. Helping understand buying habits and to reduce barriers to help make vegetables the star of the plate for young and old. Dr Ifigeneia Giannopoulou, discussed the effects of mindful eating on eating behaviour and relationship with food. Practical exercises helped the audience to gain a first awareness of how they eat and to identify any triggers of overeating, undereating or emotional eating. Finally, we were joined by Dr Rupy Aujla. He is also the founder of ‘Culinary Medicine UK’ – a non-profit organisation which aims to teach doctors and medical students the foundations of nutrition as well as teaching them how to cook. “As a doctor, I see the effects of poor dietary and lifestyle choices every day. I got so many questions about nutrition whilst working as a general practitioner that I plucked up the courage to get behind a camera and literally show my patients how to get phenomenal ingredients onto their plate. I’m just a straight talking doctor giving healthy eating inspiration” NNEdPro and ERiMNN look forward to collaborating and developing closer links with each other and beyond in 2019. To find out more follow @foodinmedicine on Twitter and Instagram. #BSMS #PeasPlease #Nutritank #EriMNN #FoodinMedicine #BrightonandHoveFoodpartnership #TheDoctorsKitchen #CulinaryMedicineuK

For the Summer Newsletter we are continuing to showcase members of our Global Innovation Panel This is part of an ongoing series and other core members will subsequently be featured in future issues. Please stay tuned. Ananya Ria Roy Steering Committee and Chair (Digital Engagement, Social Media and External Communications) What is your background in? My background has been over a decade of working in communications and marketing for organisations or projects with a purpose, from international development organisations and trade, supporting SME’s in the UK and in India, to working with health non-profits more recently. Prior to this I studied an MSc in NGOs & Development Studies from the LSE and a BSc in Business Management from Kings College London. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I started my journey with NNEdPro with the work in India and what is now called ‘Bhavishya Shakti’ and helping to set the foundations of the programme, from facilitating with fundraising, to marketing and communications. I got involved shortly after returning from India having spent 6 years working there in international development at a grassroots level in Kolkata where the Teaching Kitchens pilot was taking place. I have since been involved in various operational activities and events and I am currently volunteering as Chair on the new Digital Steering Committee in 2020. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? The networks, the people, and watching people flourish whether it’s seeing the Mobile Teaching Kitchen project flourish into Bhavishya Shakti or how we as a team have improved operationally over the years and created spaces for knowledge sharing across the world. I’m excited to see how we can do more digitally. Professor Clare Wall RNutr Auckland, New Zealand What is your background in? I trained as a dietitian in the UK and specialised in paediatrics working in tertiary hospitals in both the UK and Australia. My clinical research position at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane enabled me to develop a keen interest in research and supported my completion of a PhD. A move to New Zealand in 1995 saw a change of career direction and entry into the University setting. At the University of Auckland I have established an undergraduate pathway in nutrition in the BSc programme and set up the Masters of Health Sciences in Nutrition and Dietetics. I have also been involved in the delivery of nutrition curricula into various clinical pre-registration programmes including medicine, nursing and pharmacy. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? My interest in nutrition in medical education has led me to develop and lead a programme of research which aims to evaluate nutrition teaching in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education. In 2014 through one of my PhD students (Jennifer Crowley) I connected with Shumone and that year attended the inaugural nutrition summit in Cambridge. The rest is history! What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? The growth of NNEdPro has been exponential. To see such a global interest in the desire to advance nutrition knowledge through education is very inspiring and to be part of this global community is exciting! Dr Dionysia Angeliki Lyra UAE and Greece What is your background in? I am currently working as a Halophyte Agronomist at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I am studying agricultural aspects of salt-loving plants and their scaling up potential in desert environments. My background is in Crop Science and Agronomy. I conducted all my studies (BSc; MSc, PhD) at the Agricultural University of Athens in Greece. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I was very much excited to participate in the Third successful NNEdPro Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition in 2018. This was an eye-opening experience for me since I enriched my knowledge on nutrition and health correlated with the food which is actually my main research area. Since then I am interacting with NNEdPro members exploring opportunities to showcase the NNEdPro network in Middle East; collaborate in projects that will enhance the food and nutrition security in marginal environments and also capacity building programs related to health, food and nutrition. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? I very much like the teamwork and positive spirit that embraces the NNEdPro network. I love the multidisciplinary character of the NNEdPro team which comprises of different expertise that complements each other. Thus, it is an excellent think-tank to brainstorm and synergize about nutritional aspects of food. Emily Fallon ANutr Open portfolio in nutrition and public health What is your background in? I currently work as a Public Health Officer in local government, and I am very passionate about actively integrating nutrition science into public health. By background, I am a Registered Associate Nutritionist (MSc) with experience and previous University education in Sport and Exercise Science (BSc). I attended the NNEdPro Summer School in Applied Human Nutrition in 2018 at the University of Cambridge and I became closely involved with the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health shortly after, as a summer school alumni and virtual core member, which greatly excited me. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I remain a member of the NNEdPro Virtual Core as an Executive member and since, I have had the pleasure of working with NNEdPro as a major stakeholder in my MSc Human Nutrition research study, in collaboration with the University of Surrey. Working with NNEdPro enabled me to conduct research that would not have been possible in the typical realms of a University course; I had the opportunity to pilot my study materials at a conference and in the clinical domain, plus to present my research at a nutrition conference at the Royal Society of Medicine. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? What excites me most about working with NNEdPro is how collaborative and international we are as an organisation; we cross borders and different domains of health and nutrition and this greatly inspires and motivates me. Dr Giuseppe Grosso Public Health What is your background in? I have a degree in medicine, a medical specialization in public health and a PhD in neuropharmacology. I’m currently an assistant professor in human nutrition. I’ve published over a hundred papers in international scientific journals and I’m currently collaborating with several research group globally. My personal interests involve nutritional epidemiology, evidence assessment and global health. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I’m among the “old” members. I’ve been collaborating with NNEdPro members so far, putting at service my expertise in scientific outputs. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? NNEdPro is a unique group because involves individuals with no geographical boundaries and is constantly active. NNEdPro has an extremely flexible design and provides a platform to easily get in touch with several experts all around the globe. Dr Jennifer Crowley RNutr Auckland, New Zealand What is your background in? My background: In 2015, I graduated with a PhD. My topic was in medical education, specifically do medical student receive sufficient nutrition education to leverage from into their future medical careers. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I first became involved in NNEdPro during my PhD research. Internationally, there was limited research being conducted in this area during this time. It was very helpful to form international collaborations. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? What excites me most working with NNEdPro is the opportunity to meet others involved in this field, share knowledge, ideas and support.​ To this end, participating in the annual Summit and Summer Schools have been highlights. Now working with the ANZ NNEdPro network is important for me. Professor Martin Kohlmeier Editor-in-Chief of BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health | Precision Nutrition What is your background in? I am a physician and clinical biochemist by training, having done basic and clinical work with a focus on nutritional individuality and genetics for more than thirty years. Currently I am the director of the Human Research Core at our UNC Nutrition Research Institute, providing clinical services and research support. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I am directing the Nutrition in Medicine network which provides online medical nutrition education resources. A majority of US medical and osteopathic schools have used the materials as well as medical school in more than 20 other countries. That has led to the contact with Shumone, early joint appearances at conferences, and the rest is history. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? I love the opportunity to work with so many people from around the globe, feeling that we may make a difference for the better (we are all a bit deluded), and the friendships that have developed with so many in the network. Breanna Lepre APD Open portfolio in Nutrition and Medical Education | 2020 Summer Events Support What is your background in? My background is in Nutrition and Dietetics, with a focus on improving nutrition education for medical professionals. I am currently undertaking a PhD related to nutrition competencies for medical professionals. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I was lucky enough to become involved with NNEdPro during my honours year at the University of Wollongong, where I undertook a project investigating the nutrition education provided to medical students at the University. I presented this research at the 3rd NNEdPro Australia & New Zealand Symposium, and have been involved with NNEdPro since. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? Collaborating with like-minded individuals. Help required to identify competency frameworks in medicine which include elements of nutrition Supervisor Email Contact; Eleanor Beck (eleanor@uow.edu.au). Breanna Contact Details; M: +44 7586632304 (UK) or +61 422954050 (AUS) E: bl778@uowmail.edu.au Dr Daniela Martini GIP Member - Milan, Italy What is your background in? Master degree in Human Nutrition (university of Milan) and PhD in Food Sciences and Human Nutrition (University of Rome). I have a long experience as postdoc fellow in Human Nutrition How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I worked for 5 years at the University of Parma as postdoc fellow with Dan Del Rio and I was initially involved as speaker at the Summer Schools with talks on Food labelling (being one of my research fields). Last year, I was appointed as GIP member of NNEdPro. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? Having the possibility to connect and share expertise and knowledge with members from all over the world and with different background in the nutrition field. Having the possibility to train young students and professionals with interests in nutrition (mainly through the summer school) having the possibility to improve nutrition knowledge (hopefully also by the Italy network just launched). Dr Donato Angelino GIP Member - Teramo, Italy What is your background in? My background belongs to biology, having BSc, MSci and PhD in Biological Sciences. After some years spent in performing in vitro and in vivo animal studies to study the bioavailability and the health effect of bioactive compounds from vegetables, I joined the University of Parma to focus more on the human health, with dietary intervention studies leading to the comprehension of the effects of the consumption of different foods on health markers. Recently, I have been appointed as Assistant Professor at the University of Teramo, where I will continue my studies focusing on the human health. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I met the NNEdPro Team several years ago thanks to the collaboration with the University of Parma and my Mentor, Prof. Daniele Del Rio. Since the beginning I have been involved in the organisation of NNEdPro Summer School as speaker, and I am currently involved in the set-up of the NNEdPro Italy Regional Network with colleagues from all over the Country. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? The most exciting part of what I call “NNEdPro Family” is the friendly and active collaboration among all the members, regardless of the geographic distances and the seniority of the colleagues. NNEdPro gives the incredible opportunity to be in touch with practitioners from all over the world and fields, to learn from their experience in developing projects related to nutrition education and to adapt these formats in different contexts. Professor Eleanor Beck APD Steering Committee Chair (Australia and New Zealand Regional Network) | (Cambridge Summer School Learning/Assessment) What is your background in? I am a dietitian working as Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Medicine at University of Wollongong in Australia. As a Dietitian I primarily worked in clinical practice in a hospital setting. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I worked with Professor Caryl Nowson on a project, developing nutrition competency standards for medicine and Caryl suggested my name to a newly formed ANZ chapter of NNEdPro. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? The opportunity to hear how others have done great things to improve nutrition across a spectrum of settings from individual care to groups to populations. Then there is a chance that our group can extend that to different geographical locations. Elaine Macaninch RD Nutrition Implementation Coalition Co-Convenor Whats your background in? I am a Registered Dietitian, mainly working in diabetes. I became interested in nutrition education working with groups of patients and also teaching Practice Nurses and GPs and for the last 3 years I have been in Brighton and Sussex Medical school alongside the fabulous Dr Kathy Martyn. We have built a network of nutrition educators through co-founding the ERiMNN (Education and Research in Medical Nutrition Network). I am also the nutrition lead and a director for Culinary Medicine UK, where we use hands on cooking health professionals and students develop practical skills to incorporate nutrition into everyday consultations. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I was introduced to NNEdPro via Kathy and attended the annual summit. I was really keen to learn from multi-professionals with an interest in nutrition. Via NNEdPro I have co-authored a paper reviewing medical student and doctor opinions on nutrition education. I have also been involved in writing and delivering the NEPHELP (Nutrition Education Policy for Healthcare Practice) initiative to junior doctors, and health professionals across England hospital and Primary Care sites. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? I love NNEdPro’s outward looking and inclusive focus. This completely fits with my own thoughts and the need to widen the conversation around food systems, healthcare and human health. This has been an amazing opportunity for my own development and to join the dots to link in all my projects and current students to promote positive collaboration leading to action. Last year we agreed to join forces as the UK Nutrition Implementation collaborative linking NNEdPro, ERimNN, Culinary Medicine UK and Nutritank- 4 independent organisations but with a common goal to improve Nutrition knowledge and access to healthy affordable food for all. Helena Trigueiro RD Nutrition, Dietetics and Public Health What is your background in? My path started with my BSc in Nutritional Sciences, and then my MSc in Consumption Sciences and Nutrition. I am a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist who works in clinical nutrition, public health and health communication. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I was a candidate in NNEdPro's 2018 Summer School and participated in both the Essay Competition and NNEdPro's Summit. It was the perfect way to start collaborating with such a global and innovative nutrition network. What excites you most working with NNEdPro? NNEdPro dynamic is unique. It is thrilling to work alongside professionals, academics, and colleagues with the same purpose and vision: give Nutrition the attention it deserves. A/Prof Lauren Ball APD Global Strategic Lead (International Knowledge Application Network Hub in Nutrition 2025) What is your background in? I have a background in nutrition & dietetics as well as clinical exercise physiology. I am an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian in Australia which recognizes that I am leading the profession in nutrition, which is very exciting. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I spent a Summer at Cambridge at the end of my PhD and worked alongside Prof Ray, Dr Celia Laur and Dr Jennifer Crowley (from New Zealand). This came about after reaching out to Prof Ray showing interest in some work that NNEdPro had undertaken. Due to our mutual areas of interest, the Summer break has turned into over 6 years of collaboration! What excites you most working with NNEdPro? I am excited by the innovative and creative approach to generating new knowledge and translating this knowledge into meaningful impact across regions. I learn so much from other people and feel that we have direct and meaningful positive impact on individual lives, health providers and health services. I am confident this will continue to grow in the future too. Dr Lyn Haynes Global Strategic Lead (Networks, Engagement, Quality and Impact) What is your background in? I’m an educationist. I started as a secondary school science teacher and was able to share my passion for science and maths with young people on four continents (Africa, America, Tuvalu and then England). Later I became involved in science education engagement across the UK and Europe. Having completed a bachelors, masters, and a doctoral qualification in science and education I moved into Initial Teacher Education. ITE has enabled me to work on numerous programmes and interact with pupils in over 125 secondary school, gaining insight into the state of play in education and how young people engage with their education. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I have known Dr Minha Rajput-Ray for some decades and have thus known about NNEdPro, in particular, MTK, as they evolved. I had wanted to join the initial trip to Kolkata but had become a full-time carer to my husband. After his demise I enquired about volunteering on the January/February 2020 trip. During my interview with Shumone in November 2019 he suddenly said something about wanting to involve me in NNEdPro. “Hang on, I came here to see if I could volunteer to work with children associated with the MTK Champions in India and now he’s going on about working with NNEdPro. Did I doze off during this interview?” Serendipity! What excites you most working with NNEdPro? The concept of an organisation that can offer and develop and deliver potentially sustainable self-help projects. Being so proud of the Champions at the recent Kolkata workshop, some of whom actually presented their table’s feedback: that takes some bottle and they demonstrated that they have it and could use it in an environment very different from their everyday! Working alongside and trying to muster the energy to keep abreast of such dynamic and energized folk. Thanks Shumone for dropping me in it! I am honoured to have been invited to be one of this growing team. Shivani Bhat Alternate Steering Committee Co-Chair (Digital Engagement and IANE Membership) What is your background in? BSc Physiology where I got involved in wet lab stem cell and behavioural neuroscience research, Masters in Public Health, where I got involved in translation research. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I did my masters thesis on the association of dietary pattern analysis and carotid intima media thickness with Shumone as my PI. Then became interested in NNEdPro’s work especially medical nutrition education and translation work. Conducted an internship with NNEdPro and got roped in ever since 2015. - wow it’s been 5 years! What excites you most working with NNEdPro? The global collaborative nature of NNEdPro as well as the fact that if we have an idea, we can work together to implement it. Meet Members from our Operations and Strategy Team James Bradfield GIP Deputy Lead - Cross - appointed to Ops and Strategy Team (Summer School, Mentoring and Educational Projects Lead) What’s your background in? My undergraduate degree was in Nutritional Sciences at the University College Cork. I was always interested in nutrition, initially from a sports point of view but found myself becoming more interested in clinical and public health nutrition. From there I began a masters degree in Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of Chester where I am currently on my final placement. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? As part of my undergraduate degree I had a 6 month work placement to do which I was lucky to spend in Cambridge working with NNEdPro and the Medical Research Council. That was almost three years ago and since then I have fulfilled a number of roles in the group, focusing on education, online learning and more recently the Global Innovation Panel. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? For me the most enjoyable thing is the wide variety of people involved. On a daily basis I get to speak to clinicians, researchers, educators and students but to name a few. It gives NNEdPro a very dynamic feeling and I like to think that I have learned something from everyone at this point and I know that I know that I have only scratched the surface in terms of what I can learn from the group! Jørgen T. Johnsen Cross-appointed to Ops and Strategy Team (Summit and Summer School Deputy | Technical Officer for Projects) What’s your background in? I have a BSc in Nutrition from Bjørknes University College and an MSc in Public Health Nutrition from Oslo Metropolitan University. I decided to get into nutrition after I experienced first-hand the lack of nutritional knowledge among health personnel during my treatment for leukemia. Later on, I felt that the best way I could contribute better to the nutritional issues was to go deeper into the public and policy level around nutrition-sensitive and specific programmes. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I met Shumone during my time as an intern at the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. We got talking one day about my plans after my internship and NNEdPro’s mission and vision when we shared a lift. Following our talk, he offered me to work as a Senior intern/Project officer for NNEdPro at its headquarters in Cambridge. I now work as a Technical officer part-time virtually while I am back in Norway. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? What I first think of is the opportunities that arise. NNEdPro has provided me with experiences that I seek to develop myself within a global nutrition perspective, and it brings in a one of a kind environment of global nutrition experts. It is highly motivating for me to be surrounded by such great people who work so hard to make a positive change for our health and planet. Dr Luke Buckner GIP Deputy Lead – Cross-appointed to Ops and Strategy Team (UK-India Scientific Lead | Nutrition Implementation Coalition Co-Convenor) Whats your background in? My day job is actually as a junior doctor, but I have studied a BSc in Human Nutrition and Metabolism at Kings College London. From there I have been involved in Nutrition Education within Medical Curricula, as well as NNEdPro's Mobile Teaching Work in India. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I got involved after taking a year out of my medical degree to pursue the interrelated BSc in Nutrition. On return I found myself frustrated at the lack of content of nutrition, both from a theory and practical element. I wanted to change that and reached out to NNEdPro to get involved in some projects, from there I became increasingly involved in our NEPHELP project in the UK, then used my elective at the end of my degree to travel to India where my involvement there began. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? I think for me its the people. When you first join NNEdPro it can be a little overwhelming how many awe inspiring people play roles in the group. However you soon find they all are so collaborative and want each other to succeed. The advice, mentor-ship and shared common goals really have been a key step in my career to date. Together it is exciting thinking of what we can achieve! Matheus Abrantes Senior Operations and Strategy Co-ordinator/Executive Assistant to the Chair What’s your background in? I have a BSc in Business Administration from University Paulista - UNIP in São Paulo, Brazil. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I started working with NNEdPro in October 2018 as office support to the chair. Since then, there have been quite a few changes to my role that increased my involvement with the organisation and I became Senior Ops and Strategy Co-ordinador as well as providing executive support to the chair. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? NNEdPro brings the opportunity of meeting people from all over the world in one place, and being someone that does not have a nutrition background makes me really impressed about the love people in NNEdPro share on the matter. Marjorie Lima do Vale RD Visiting Academic/Project Officer Whats your background in? I am a nutritionist registered in Brazil. I am now a final year PhD Candidate in Nutrition & Metabolism at the University of Alberta in Canada. My passion and expertise is in community nutrition. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I started as a visiting academic with NNEdPro just a few months ago. I got to know about NNEdPro when proactively searching for organizations with an interest in Nutrition Education. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? There is just so much one can learn from NNEdPro's passionate and hard-working members, also so much one can do across the many NNEdPro projects. I am so grateful that I became part of the NNEdPro team. :). Michael McGirr Communications Officer What’s your background in? I have been studying Human Nutrition for 3 years now in Ulster University, Ireland I decided to get into nutrition as I feel that a lot more could be done on a population level to improve health and well being. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? My internship from the University provided myself the opportunity to work for both NICHE Ulster & NNEdPro, during which time I have gained a wide array of transferable skills and I am very fortunate to have met some amazing aspiring people working in unison with a common interest and goal. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? The limitless possibilities and potential, NNEdPro has such a wide Global Network with so many different areas of expertise involved, it is a pleasure to be involved and work with such great people trying to implement positive change into societies globally. Shane McAuliffe Cross-appointed to Ops and Strategy Team (Science and Digital Communications Lead) What is your background in? I hold a BSc in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork and I am now studying an MSc in Nutrition and Dietetics in the University - currently undergoing my final clinical placement. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? My first involvement with NNEdPro came last year when I contributed to an article in Complete Nutrition (CN) magazine. I then volunteered at the NNEdPro Global Summit last July and have since joined the Global Innovation Panel (GIP) and taken a role in Science Communications within the Ops and Strategy team. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? The opportunity to work with like-minded people from a variety of professional backgrounds but all with a common goal - to give nutrition the attention and platform it deserves within healthcare and public policy. Sucheta Mitra Operations and Strategy Co-ordinator/Membership Officer What’s your background in? I have a Masters in International Relations and Political Science from the Graduate Institute in International and Development Studies, Geneva. After my post-grad, I have been working as a consultant in the international humanitarian and development sector, particularly in the domain of global health and international migration. Before joining NNEdPro in 2019, I have worked with the United Nations Agencies and International Organizations in Geneva in areas such as Donor Relations, Resource Mobilization, Grant Management and Project Management. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? In 2019, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet Shumone Ray when he was on his special assignment to the WHO Nutrition Directorate in Geneva. I was already fascinated by the work NNEdPro did. So following the chat with Prof Ray and my professional background in public health furthered my interest to delve deep into the topic of nutrition education. Given I have professional experience in grant management and resource mobilisation, I was taken on board in the Strategic Development team, working on funding applications and developing strategic collaborations with potential philanthropy organisations. At present I am in the Operations and Strategy team as well as working as a Membership Officer. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? My overall role within NNEdPro, has been extremely exciting. Working with such talented people (coming from diverse backgrounds) on projects concerning public health globally, has been professionally motivating, fulfilling and self-satisfying. Meet Our Board of Directors Our board of directors is comprised of a variety of accomplished practitioners, academics & researchers working in unison to develop strategies and methods to implement better nutrition education for all globally. Dr Celia Laur RNutr GIP and Summit Lead - Associate Director (Innovation and Implementation) What’s your background in? I moved to England to do my Masters in Public Health Nutrition, then returned to Canada to do a PhD in the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo. I am now building a research program in implementation science with a particular focus on how to keep effective interventions going. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I started working with NNEdPro in 2011 as their second ever intern! I was based in Cambridge for 3 years before transitioning my role to Lead of the Global Innovation Panel when I returned to Canada. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? I love the opportunities that NNEdPro provides and the way that we can work with people who have a similar passion all over the world. Each person brings a unique perspective to the group and there is so much we can learn from each other. Professor Daniele Del Rio Non Executive Director (Scientific) What’s your background in? I have an MSc in Food Science and a PhD that was fully focused on human nutrition, carried out between the University of Parma and the University of Glasgow. Nutrition research is my passion. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? Shumone Ray, NNEdPro chair and founder, and I were speaking at the same conference some 8 years ago and immediately felt like we had t o collaborate. I visited Cambridge after a few months and never left (scientifically) since then! What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? My research is very mechanistic and basic. With NNEdPro I have the opportunity to do something that applies nutrition science to the real world in so many ways. It is unbelievably satisfying! Dr Minha Rajput-Ray Non Executive Director (Medical) What’s your background in? I have an MSc in Food Science and a PhD that was fully focused on human nutrition, carried out between the University of Parma and the University of Glasgow. Nutrition research is my passion. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? Shumone Ray, NNEdPro chair and founder, and I were speaking at the same conference some 8 years ago and immediately felt like we had t o collaborate. I visited Cambridge after a few months and never left (scientifically) since then! What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? My research is very mechanistic and basic. With NNEdPro I have the opportunity to do something that applies nutrition science to the real world in so many ways. It is unbelievably satisfying! Pauline Douglas RD Vice Chair and Operational Governance Director (Education) What’s your background in? I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) with an MBA in Health and Social Care working at national/international level. I am a past Chairperson of BDA and have a strong ethos of continued support for their work. I am also a Senior Lecturer and Clinical facilitator at Ulster University, NICHE working with students and practitioners to develop future RD's. How did you get involved with NNEdPro? I first met Shumone when the BDA where leading on the Council of Europe's 10 key characteristics. Like minds came together, so i have really been involved with NNEdPro right from the beginning. What excites you most about working with NNEdPro? Meeting and working with people all with a unified interest in nutrition. There is reassurance that we are all facing similar issues, however I relish the challenge of improving nutrition for individuals and populations. Professor Sumantra Ray RNutr Founding Chair and Executive Director (Strategic Development) “In 2020 NNEdPro is a thriving Global Centre working virtually without borders – behind our programmes, projects, interventions and impacts are incredible people who bring dedication and innovation – it is a privilege to work with such dynamic and bright minds, united through the common vision of a world less burdened by malnutrition” Global Innovation Panel Members to be featured in future issues: Principal Advisors Dr Rajna Golubic - Clinical Medicine Dr Giuseppe Grosso -Public Health Prof Martin Kohlmeier - Editor-in-Chief of BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health | Precision Nutrition Executive Members Melissa Adamski APD - Steering Committee Chair (International Academy of Nutrition Educators [IANE] Membership/Mentoring Scheme) Emily Fallon ANutr - Open portfolio in Nutrition and Public Health Dr Kathy Martyn RNutr - Steering Committee Chair (UK and Ireland Regional Network) | (Nutrition Education Policy for Healthcare Practice) Kannan Raman - Steering Committee Chair (India Regional Network) | (Mobile Teaching Kitchens India Fundraising) Ananya Ria Roy - Steering Committee Chair (Digital Engagement, Social Media and External Communications) Members Dr Iain Broadley – Bristol, England Prof Mei Yen Chan – Astana, Kazakhstan and Singapore Dr Dominic Crocombe – London, England Dr Jennifer Crowley - Auckland, New Zealand Dr Timothy Eden – London, England Sonigitu Asibong Ekpe – Calabar, Nigeria Ali Ahsan Khalid – Cambridge, England Dr Dionysia Sissy Lyra – UAE and Greece Prof Caryl Nowson – Deakin, Australia Prof Clare Wall – Auckland, New Zealand