George M. Briggs Nutrition Science Symposium - Toward Sustainable Diets: Current Evidence and Future Challenges

Sunday, July 22 | 8:30 am - 10:00 am | Nicollet A

Speakers: Gregory Miller, PhD, MACN, Dairy Management, Inc.; Michael W. Hamm, PhD, University of Michigan 

The relationship among issues related to food, food systems, and sustainability continues to evolve.  This session will explore the current state-of-the-art with respect to the complexity of defining dietary patterns and sustainability and the research on these.  There is a great deal of science backing what we know and a great deal more research that yet needs to be done. The science behind sustainability from the standpoint of climate change, water use, land use, health, and livelihoods both with respect to what we know and uncertainties moving forward will be explored. This session will also describe the kinds of research and programs that food group producers need to pursue to address environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainability and examine how some choices may have unintended consequences. Finally, the session will explore policy implications of the current state of the science for dietary guidance and sustainability of food systems.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understand the complexities of defining food system sustainability and sustainable diets
2. Recognize the science supporting sustainable nutrition and future research needs and priorities.
3. Discuss the kinds of research and programs that food group producers need to pursue to address the environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainability, using dairy as an example, and understand how some choices may have unintended consequences.
4. Describe the implications of current state of the science for policies with respect to dietary guidance and enhancing the sustainability of food systems.

Session sponsored by the SNEB Foundation.