News Highlights
Author:
Lisa Bilal,
Administrative Assistant,
FAFS Dean's Office,
lb16@aub.edu.lb
 Nutrition Department
|
Conference on current challenges in nutrition
Audience and guests attending |
Regional and international experts gathered for a conference which focused on eating disorders, obesity, common hidden deficiencies, and innovative management and intervention approaches for children and adolescents in Issam Fare Hall at October 24. Organized by the Lebanese Association for Nutrition and Food Sciences (LANFS) in collaboration with AUB's Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, the conference was held under the patronage of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and supported by Nestle as part of their Ten Signs of Good Nutrition.
|
 | Participants in the conference
|
Nahla Hwalla, president of LANFS and dean of AUB's Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, hopes "that such collective efforts will contribute to more effective action on the part of nutrition professionals, and better awareness on the part of parents to ensure healthier growth and development for children around the region."
Nutritional aspects of bone health in children and challenges and recommendations for attaining optimal bone growth were two topics brought forward by Susan Lanham-New, reader in nutrition at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Lanham-New emphasized in her presentations the crucial nutritional influence on achieving peak bone mass and ensuring strong bones, on which she has extensive, internationally recognized research expertise. |
"There is good scientific evidence that shows the importance of nutrition and physical activity during childhood in developing healthy bones. Bone mass increases linearly through this period of growth, and it is therefore considered a critical time for bone health," said Lanham-New. "Studies have also shown an association between higher calcium intake and increased bone mineral status, with the effect greatest in the early stages of life."
The conference recommended that public officials, schools, and families work together to achieve interventions in preventing obesity. Schools should also provide nutritional education from preschool through high school, and children should also be engaged in one hour of physical activity on a regular daily basis. |
|
