Top 8 Takeaways from NUTRITION 2023

I just returned from NUTRITION 2023, the American Society for Nutrition's annual conference convening thousands of thought leaders, researchers and clinicians dedicated to improving human health through nutrition science and application. 

Here are my top 8 takeaways: 

The food matrix is the new microbiome 

Discussions on the food matrix at NUTRITION 2023 were reminiscent of the excitement for the new frontier of microbiome research from the early 2010s. One session made clear that foods, specifically animal source foods, are made up of a matrix of nutrients and non-nutrient compounds that cause nutrients to act differently in the body when eaten as whole foods versus as single nutrients in isolation.

Food as medicine ramps up 

There were several large-format sessions on the concept of food as medicine (FAM) that brought together academics, policy makers, insurers, and non-profits to share the latest federal policy updates and pilots to improve health outcomes. Other sessions encouraged the application of FAM in bioactives research, where AI driven science could help identify the most pressing target health areas for bioactives, specifically where the opportunities are most significant given the state of public health.  

While speakers argued that diabetes and obesity are key FAM targets, and although nutrition is important for managing these conditions, others made clear food is not a substitute for medicine. 

Processing the discussion on ultra-processed foods 

Some 16 presentations, 79 posters, and 2 flash oral presentations at NUTRITION 2023 were on processed or ultra-processed foods (UPFs). UPFs were brought up in sessions about the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines process, sessions on nutrient inadequacies, and had 2 stand-alone high-impact sessions that were standing-room only. But the hype was met with scientific skepticism.  

Advocates for targeting UPFs in the food supply argued that UPFs affect our innate flavor and textural preferences, the balance of healthy bacteria in our gut, our mental health and more. On the flip side, other speakers discussed the state of the science on UPFs and that cutting out UPFs would eliminate 60% of the food we eat – including perfectly good ways of getting fruits, vegetables, legumes, proteins, dairy, and whole grains – and items that many rely upon for safe and affordable access to nutrient-dense foods.  

Scientists largely stressed caution in using the current evidence for policy making among a range of scientific issues and unresolved questions. A research roadmap from USDA scientists was presented on the topic of UPF that is expected to publish in the journal Adv Nutr soon.  

The shift from talking about to actioning on precision nutrition  

At NUTRITION 2023, metabolomic and proteomic approaches for exploring and validating dietary biomarkers for use in nutritional epidemiology or nutritional intervention studies were discussed.  

Work from the Nutrition for Precision Health Study (NPH), powered by All of Us, and Dietary Biomarkers Development Consortium (DBDC), a USDA-NIFA initiative with 4 institution sites across the country, was presented. Several projects are running pharmacokinetics, dose response, validation, and population testing on common foods to identify objective markers of dietary intake and complement current dietary intake assessment methods.  

A public health crisis brewing: Teen nutrition  

Teenage years are critical for growth and development, but most U.S. teens are experiencing significant nutrient inadequacies as a result of greater nutrient needs in combination with poor diet quality and food choices. Scientists at NUTRITION 2023 referred to this as the perfect storm. <1.5% of randomized controlled trials include children and adolescents, so there are also large evidence gaps among this population. Researchers stress the need to personalize interventions and target breakfast, one rich in high-quality animal proteins, to help this population in public health crisis. 

Bioactives research is leveraging AI and big data

From establishing recommendations for dietary bioactives (e.g., lutein, omega-3s, flavanols, etc.), to using AI and big data to find compounds in nature that can help restore human health, bioactive compounds had a ton of face time at NUTRITION 2023. Companies are using AI-programming applied to absolutely massive data sets to help gain the deepest insight into bioactives and their connection to major areas of human health, including the microbiome. Innovative companies in this space are running in parallel path with scientists attempting to quantify the functional dose of bioactives to elicit health benefits and publish dietary recommendations.

Intersection of nutrition security, culturally-tailored meals, equity and sustainability 

Four important domains of sustainable diets include (1) nutrition and health, (2) economics, (3) society and culture, and (4) environment. Sessions across this conference focused on ways in which nutrition programming, policy, recommendations, and professional practices must cross-check against each of these categories in order to meet people where they are in terms of cultural expectations, geographical area, accessibility, budgetary constraints, and nutritional sufficiency. 

Early life nutrition for a lifetime of health

New scientific insights were presented that identified a generational influence of food patterns and preferences that begin in the womb, whereby mom’s taste, flavor and cultural preferences can begin to shape a child’s acceptance of foods as a fetus. Additionally, until the age of 2, scientists noted children have an open window to try new tastes and flavors - and with repetition various stakeholders can help develop acceptability.

This also includes nutrient-dense food choices. As many parents with picky eaters contest, they often fear wasting money on foods that do not get eaten and shy away from purchasing fresh or perishable produce, or other prepared foods with produce that just gets thrown away.

If you went to NUTRITION 2023, what did you see? Congrats to ASN staff for putting on a wonderful meeting and can't wait for NUTRITION 2024!