The Global Nutrition Transition: The Role of the International Shift in Carbohydrate Consumption

Program Description

For the first time in human history, the number of overweight individuals outnumbers those who are malnourished. Over the second half of the last century, soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages have assumed an increasingly significant proportion of total energy intake in the US and in many developing countries where “westernized diets” are increasingly popular. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, per capita soft-drink consumption has increased by almost 500% over the past 50 years.  This symposium will focus on the importance of the shift in carbohydrate consumption from fruits, vegetables and whole grains to refined carbohydrates and sweeteners in beverages in the global nutrition transition together with their role in promoting the intake of energy-dense foods also high in fat. This symposium will also include panel discussions to achieve consensus on critical points regarding food science and public policy to combat obesity. It is hoped that the symposium will lead to an integrated view of the role of energy-dense foods and a sedentary lifestyle in the global epidemic of obesity.

Learning Objectives

1.  Identify the major sources of hidden sugars in the American diet

2.  Identify the metabolic pathways leading to fat synthesis from sugars

3.  Determine the recommended carbohydrate intake from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains by comparison to discretionary calories from sweetened beverages and foods.

4. Assess the potential of carbohydrate substitution with reduction in refined carbohydrate intake from a practical and economic standpoint in the battle against the global nutrition transition including approaches to obesity prevention.

CPE Credit Designation Statement:  ASN designates this educational activity for a maximum of 4.0 CPEUs. Dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  ASN (Provider #NS010) is accredited and approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as a provider of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) programs for Registered Dietitians.

Learning Level 2

Suggested Learning Codes:

(2000) Science of food and nutrition
(2020) Composition of foods, nutrient analysis
(2030) Food preservation, additives, irradiation
(2040) Food science, genetically modified food
(2070) Macronutrients: carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, water
(2100) Nutritional biochemistry
(3040) Food consumption, fluid balance
(4000) Wellness and public health
(4030) Dietary guidelines, DRIs, Choose My Plate, food labeling

Agenda

Presentations

8:00- 8:45 am. Role of Carbohydrates in the Global Nutrition Transition and Obesity Epidemic,  David Heber, MD, PhD  UCLA Center for Human Nutrition : Moderator and Introduction

8:45- 9:15 am. The Role of Sugar in the Obesity Epidemic and Consensus Beverage Recommendations, George A. Bray MD, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

9:15- 9:45am. ”The Role of Sugar Sweetened Beverages vs, Water Consumption in Obesity Prevention in Mexico, Simon Barquera, MD,PhD, Institute of Public Health of Mexico

9:45- 10:00 am. Break.

10:00- 10:30 am. The Role of the Microbiome as Carbohydrate Intake Shifts to Sugars and Refined Carbohydrates, Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD,  UCLA Center for Human Nutrition

10:30-11:00 am. The Effects of Glycemic Load on Metabolism and Body Weight, David Ludwig  MD,PhD, Children’s Hospital Boston

11:00- 11:30 am. The Role of Carbohydrates in Energy-Dense Nutrient-Poor Foods and the Global Nutrition Transition, Adam Drewnowski, PhD, University of Washington

11:30 am -12:00 pm. Questions and Answers.