Prevention-orientated diet is key to good health

IN PREPARATION for the inaugural meeting of the South East Asia-Public Health Nutrition Network next year, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia focused its 29th Scientific Conference on the theme ‘Improving lives through public health nutrition’.

Beneo-Institute Vice President for Regulatory Affairs & Nutrition Communication Anke Sentko was amongst speakers at this conference held from 3–4 June in Kuala Lumpur. In line with the theme, she presented evidence-based insights into the role of functional ingredients in healthier diets. She highlighted the fact that common health problems including obesity, osteoporosis and other non-communicable diseases can be addressed throughprevention-orientated nutrition. Post-conference, Ms Sentko spoke with FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal on the topic.

While it is a combination of factors, would you say that the lack of consumer awareness is a major reason for the rise in incidences of lifestyle diseases?

I would not think anyone is to blame as I believe there are multiple reasons that are causing the rise in incidences of lifestyle diseases today. There is a multi-factorial approach to address these challenges. However, there is no one answer to this question. A potential reason for the lack of consumer awareness – I think it might indeed be that [it] is due to our busy lives that attention is lacking.

In particular, when we are young and strong, we are not so aware of the impact nutrition has on our health. We think our strength is never-ending. While eating unhealthy foods, such as foods that consist high glycaemic carbohydrates, our body counter-acts by taking correction measures. In this case, by bringing blood sugar levels down. After a prolonged period of time of unhealthy eating habits, our body system will not work that well anymore (elasticity of the system will be lost). This is where the illness starts to develop and you cannot correct it anymore. With consumer awareness starting earlier, you can counter-act earlier and that means prevention. That would be a first important step into the right direction.

So it is prevention that matters.

Yes, indeed. If you do the smaller things wrong in a long period of time, that may cause illnesses in the long term. For example, it is calculated that for a child to become obese, it takes about 30 kCal a day more than it is necessary. If this 30kCal can be avoided, and this is not much, then it would be a big step into preventing childhood obesity. If you take five sugar candies of 3g of sugar each day, they deliver 60 kCal. If you go for sugar-free Isomalt-based candy, with the same size, you only have 2 kCal per gram, and that leads to 30 kCal. It is the small interventions in life that make a difference. This is what I mean with respect to small mistakes over a long time.

I just used the Isomalt, sugar-free candies as an example, but you can go through other situations as well. It is about going for lower-glycaemic versions, for food that leads to lower-glycaemic response than the traditional high-glycaemic versions. And you can drive your metabolism by doing so into the right direction.

In light of growing health concerns, what major challenges are food manufacturers facing right now?

I think the technology for making healthier choices is there. The challenge is that products need to be really tasty. Consumers don’t want to sacrifice taste for healthiness. They want both. This is a challenge for food technologists. If you go for fat reduction, sugar reduction, lower-glycaemic foods, you want to have [them] as tasty as possible and you don’t want to have them less tasty than normal.

On the other hand, you cannot simply position it as a healthier choice. It is a new positioning that food manufacturers need, a new product – and not a copy and paste of what you already have in the market. The healthy choice is the product range in itself that for sure will be more expensive because a lot of science is behind it. You also need to have functional ingredients that deliver the physiological properties. In that way, it is a new market, and not an extension of what is already existing. It opens new windows of opportunities.

Is Asia easy to tap for functional ingredients?

Yes, because for a long time Asians understand very well that food and drinks have more benefits than just pure nutrition and that they can contribute to a healthier life. Therefore, the Asian market is much readier to pick up and refresh this knowledge than it is in Europe and North America.

Are the formulations for Asia different from those for Europe and North America?

Do you mean the type of food and preferences are different? I agree with that. In that way, the development of foods and incorporation of functional ingredients into that, that needs to be adapted to the needs of the market. Otherwise, you don’t reach the consumers. You need to have the formulations, the recipes, in a way that it is accepted by the consumer, without taste, without acceptance, it won’t be successful.

You can only be successful with healthier choices, by meeting the needs of the consumers in taste and convenience. This way, it does not differ from traditional food. Consumer needs are key. These challenges are challenges that can be overcome so I don’t see a real problem in that. It’s just the know-how that needs to be delivered and we are ready to deliver this know-how and work together with food manufacturers to develop those products.

Finally, what is your outlook for the functional ingredients market in 2015?

I think there will be an increase in the interest of the consumers for healthy choices. From the side of the authorities, from public health perspective, it is very clear they see the threats of the development of diabetes, overweight, osteoporosis, etc. Their prevention is on the top of people’s minds. What now needs to happen is that products can be communicated and positioned in a way that consumers can make the link, identify those products that are better for him/her. I would see this not only in 2015, but also the development for the future that is ongoing now.

I was at a conference in Malaysia, organised by the Nutrition Society of Malaysia. The topic was on public health – how these challenges that are obvious can be addressed by healthy eating. I think healthcare professionals, public health and food manufacturers are working together in order to make those foods readily available.