The American Society for Nutrition and the Danone Institute International Collaborate to Examine Health Effects of Yogurt

BOSTON, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the Danone Institute International have announced a global collaboration to evaluate the state of the science surrounding the relationship between yogurt consumption and health, to be initiated with the first Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt. The summit will be hosted during the ASN's Scientific Sessions & Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology (EB) on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in Boston, MA.

ASN and the Danone Institute International are partnering with The Nutrition Society (NS) in the United Kingdom on a multi-year initiative, the Yogurt in Nutrition Initiative for a balanced diet, to examine and document the health effects of yogurt, stimulate new research and communicate available scientific information to health care professionals and the public. Annual scientific conferences will be held in different regions of the world to share research findings and encourage new research on the topic. 

The first global summit in Boston will focus on the impact of yogurt and dairy consumption on health outcomes and health care costs, particularly related to chronic health conditions. The event will feature leading international experts in medicine and nutrition science.  

"Nutrition research continues to shed light on how individual foods and food groups affect health," said Sharon M. Donovan, PhD, RD, Past President of the ASN and professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. "This new collaboration will help to define the evidence base for yogurt's effects on health promotion and disease prevention and identify areas where more research is needed. This science-based approach aligns well with ASN's mission of advancing nutrition research and knowledge to improve public health and clinical practice worldwide."

Key topic areas to be addressed during the summit include:

• The impact of regular yogurt consumption on nutrient deficiencies, body weight regulation, chronic health conditions and related health-care costs
• The unique nutrient profile of yogurt compared to other dairy foods
• Populations that may benefit most from yogurt consumption to improve nutritional status and health
• The scientific rationale behind existing dairy dietary recommendations

The full summit agenda can be viewed here.

"We are very enthusiastic to participate in this global collaboration that will contribute to increasing the scientific knowledge around yogurt as part of a healthy diet," said Prof. Raanan Shamir, MD, President of the Danone Institute International.

The U.S.-based Dairy Research Institute, established under the leadership of U.S. dairy farmers, is also a partner in the first global summit.

The summit will be recorded and archived on www.nutrition.org. Pending editorial acceptance, a peer-reviewed journal supplement will feature review articles and summaries of the presentations.

About the American Society for Nutrition
Established in 1928, the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is a non-profit, multidisciplinary, scientific and educational organization devoted to advancing nutrition research to improve public health. ASN fosters collaboration among investigators in nutrition, medicine and related fields of science, and encourages the creation, translation and dissemination of nutrition knowledge.

With more than 4,900 members in more than 65 countries, ASN advances excellence in nutrition research and practice through its publications, education, public affairs and membership programs.

About the Danone Institute International
The Danone Institute International is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop and disseminate scientific knowledge on diet and nutrition to benefit public health. To accomplish these goals, the Danone Institute International supports research initiatives and training programs on diet and nutrition for health and education professionals and disseminates information on diet and nutrition to the general public.

About the Nutrition Society
The Nutrition Society (NS) was established in 1941 'to advance the scientific study of nutrition and its application to the maintenance of human and animal health'. Its vision is to lead in the development, dissemination and promotion of nutrition science to the global community through the principal activities of publishing internationally renowned Learned Journals; holding of scientific meetings; publishing textbooks on the science of nutrition and providing education and training services. Based in the UK, the Nutrition Society, with 2,800 members worldwide, is the largest Learned Society for nutrition in Europe. Visit us at www.nutritionsociety.org or email: [email protected].

About the Dairy Research Institute^®
The Dairy Research Institute was established under the leadership of America's dairy farmers with a commitment to nutrition, product and sustainability research. The Dairy Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to strengthen the dairy industry's access to and investment in the technical research required to drive innovation and demand for dairy products and ingredients globally. The Institute works with and through industry, academic, government and commercial partners to drive pre-competitive research in nutrition, products and sustainability on behalf of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy^®, National Dairy Council^® and other partners. The Dairy Research Institute is primarily funded by the national dairy checkoff program managed by Dairy Management Inc.™

SOURCE American Society for Nutrition