Professor of Nutritional Metabolism at University of Surrey

Professor Griffin is a Biomedical Scientist with expertise in lipid metabolism, nutritional biochemistry and cardiovascular disease. After gaining a BSc with first class honours in medical laboratory science at Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1984, he undertook a PhD on the effects of exercise and diet on human plasma lipoproteins at the University of Aberdeen, under the supervision of Professor Ronald Maughan and Dr Roy Skinner (1988). This was followed by postdoctoral research in Pathological Biochemistry at Glasgow Royal Infirmary with Professors Jim Shepherd and Chris Packard.

Since 1994, he has held academic posts as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor of Nutritional Metabolism at the University of Surrey. He teaches undergraduate dietitians, nutritionists and food scientists, as well as nutritional medicine and human nutrition masters students. He is an active researcher and external speaker in human nutrition, in relation to cardiovascular health, and has published widely in the areas of blood lipids, dietary macronutrients and cardiovascular disease. His research has been supported by grants from the Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Agency, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and various industries.

External Scientific Affairs Manager, Alpro Foundation

Dr Stephanie De Vriese holds a first degree masters in Nutrition and Dietetics and second degree PhD in Nutrition and Medical Sciences focused on role of essential fatty acids in neonatal development. Stephanie has over 25 years of experience in public health nutrition. She was project lead for the Belgian food consumption survey at the Institute for public health before joining Alpro for 15 years as external Scientific Affairs Manager where she now leads on strategy development and its implementation for the Alpro Foundation. The Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation, founded in 1996 in order to support scientific research into nutrition and to promote knowledge and awareness of plant-based nutrition, health and sustainability. She is passionate about initiatives and collaborations that advance our eating patterns towards a more plant-based way of eating for the benefit of human and planetary health.

• Health benefits of fibre
• Plant-based dietary patterns for cardiometabolic health e.g. the Mediterranean, DASH, Nordic, and vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns
• The underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms

Learning objectives

• The evidence of the health benefits of fiber
• Plant-based dietary patterns for cardiometabolic health
• The underlying  pathophysiologic mechanisms

• Understand the what this means for practical dietary advice

M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.

Dr. Kahleova is director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She has conducted several clinical trials, using a plant-based diet in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease. Her research showed that a plant-based diet leads to a greater weight loss and improvement in metabolism, and addresses multiple mechanisms behind diabetes.

Her research proved that eating a large breakfast and lunch is more beneficial than eating six smaller meals a day for patients with type 2 diabetes. Her research on meal frequency and timing showed that eating less frequently, no snacking, consuming breakfast, and eating the largest meal in the morning may be effective methods for preventing long-term weight gain.

As a member of the American Diabetes Association and as a board member of the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Dr. Kahleova is directly involved in the process of updating the nutritional recommendations for patients with diabetes.

This presentation will explore the origins and the effects of the dietary portfolio to reduce serum cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

Outline

• The dietary context in which the dietary portfolio was established
• The components of the dietary portfolio
• The effects of the dietary portfolio given under metabolic conditions on LDL cholesterol andC-reactive protein compared to the effects of a statin drug
• The effects of the dietary portfolio given as a self-selected diet
• A meta-analysis of portfolio results on different risk factors

Learning Objectives

Clearing understanding and be aware of:

• the current trend to more plant-based guidelines
• where the dietary portfolio fits
• what effects can be expected with this dietary patten

Be able to:

• prescribe a portfolio diet in the context of a plant-based diet
• predict the response on CVD risk factors
• add further lipid and CVD risk reduction strategies to the dietary portfolio

Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Educated at Oxford University, Dr. David Jenkins is currently a Professor in both the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, a Staff Physician in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the Director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center, and a Scientist in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital. He has served on committees in Canada and the United States that have formulated nutritional guidelines for the treatment of diabetes and recommendations for fibre and macronutrient intake (fat protein and carbohydrates) for the general population (including the Dietary Reference intake or DRIs) under the joint United States-Canada DRI system (RDAs) of the National Academy of Sciences (Washington, DC). He led the team that first defined and explored the concept of the glycemic index of foods.

• Microbiota in cardiometabolic disease
• Interrelationship between diet and mental health
• Mental health and microbiota
• How the activity of the microbiota can influence inflammation 
• How diet influences the microbiome
• How diet influences mental health

Learning objectives

• Microbiota in cardiometabolic disease
• Evidence for gut microbiota manipulation for better mental health
• Evidence for dietary changes for better mental health

• How fibre impacts gut health
• How high protein diets impact gut health
• Links between healthy eating, gut health and mental health

• Discuss how improved gut health can improve mental health
• Discuss how poor mental health is linked to poor diet and vice versa
• Describe mechanisms of how diet can reduce inflammation through the gut microbiota

PhD RD
Senior Specialist Dietitian & Research Associate at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust/ City Dietitians/ King’s College London

Dr Bridgette Wilson is a gut specialist clinical and research dietitian in the NHS and private healthcare.
Bridgette’s award-winning PhD was on FODMAPs and Prebiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Ulcerative Colitis. Bridgette specialises in helping patients with functional and inflammatory bowel disorders and continues her research into both at King’s College London.

• Definition of a healthy plant-based diet
• The different dietary patterns that support plant-based eating
• An overview of the driving factors which are influencing plant-based eating
• The current challenges in achieving a healthy plant-based diet
• An example of a flexible, step by step approach to achieving a healthy plant-based diet in practice

Learning objectives

• What is meant by a healthy plant-based diet
• The current factors which are influencing plant-based eating
• Behavioural and dietary strategies to encourage plant-based eating in practice

• Current national dietary shortfalls in achieving a plant-based diet
• The barriers and motivators to plant-based eating
• A healthy versus non-healthy plant-based diet
• The nutritional considerations when increasing plant food consumption

• Explain the principles of a plant-based diet
• Confidently advise on how a healthy plant-based diet can be achieved 
• Tailor the advice depending on an individual’s readiness to change

Consultant Dietitian

Lynne is a registered Dietitian, who having worked both in the NHS and industry now runs her own nutrition consultancy. In this capacity she has been involved in a number of initiatives communicating the benefits of plant-based eating, including writing two books on the subject, presenting at conferences and webinars, as well as being a member of the BDA’s Sustainable Diets Working Group, contributing to their ‘One Blue Dot’ toolkit. She also works for HEART UK, the cholesterol charity, where she provides advice and support on all dietary matters related to heart health.

• An update on the BDA’s One Blue dot project
• The impact and reach of our Sustainable September partner projects, including Sustainable Hacks with Alpro
• Other examples of third sector consumer facing projects: Planet Based diets from WWF and the new American plate from AICR
• Examples of policy levers to shift supply chain: Tesco/WWF collaboration and Plating up Progress 
• Nutrition-specific collaborations: the ICDA sustainable food systems project and Food+Planet Vision 2025

Learning objectives:

• The work stakeholders are doing to provide resources and communities for sustainable diets

• A range of references, tools and groups to support learning and to use with clients

• Know where to go for more information

Partnerships Manager, The British Dietetic Association

Jo Lewis is Partnerships Manager at the BDA. She was co-lead on the BDA’s ‘One Blue Dot’ toolkit on environmentally sustainable diets. This year, Jo led on the BDA’s Sustainable September month, producing some simple but effective new resources on healthy, sustainable eating patterns with partners including Alpro.