1 Filling Research Gaps to meet the Malnutrition Challenge : building evidences 20th meeting of the EC-US Task Force on Biotechnology Research 3-4 June 2010, Barcelona Isabelle de Froidmont-Göertz Unit E3 - Food, Health and Well-being Directorate E - Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology Directorate-General for Research European Commission
Malnutrition An abnormal physiological condition caused by deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in energy, protein and/or other nutrients.
Malnutrition: key points More than half of the world population suffer of malnutrition Undernutrition causes the death of 3 millions children under five and more than 100.000 mothers per year Undernutrition undermines opportunities reducing physical and mental capacity and cripples the immune system, Adults undernourished in childhoood earn significantly less and contribute less to economic growth. Undernutrition prevents the development of populations and contribute to the persistance of poverty Obesity prevalence is rising to epidemic proportions in both developed and developing countries worldwide (particularly severe for children and adolescents) Obesity is a risk factor for other diseases (e.g. diabetes,cancer,.) Food, financial and economic crisis worsened the situation
economic and financial crisis increasing population climate change unemployment Time of a deep transformation for Europe EU 2020: key priorities Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth Create value by basing growth on knowledge Promote competitive, efficient and greener economy Foster a high employment economy delivering social cohesion
9 Converging technologies and multi-disciplinary approaches Omics: nutrigenomics, metabolomics,proteomics, Bioinformatics Micro-nanotechnologies (Neuro)-imaging Techniques: MRI, SCANER, PET
The 7th EU Framework Programme Collaborative Research Frontier Research 32 365 M 7 460 M Human Potential Research Capacity 4 728 M 4 217 M (2007-2013) 2013) Total 53 billion for 7 years
11 FP7 KBBE - Activity 2.2 Fork to farm : Food (including sea-food), health and well being Consumer, societal, industrial and health aspects of food and feed Nutrition, diet related diseases and disorders Innovative, smart food and feed Processing Improved Quality and Safety of food, beverage and feed Total Food Chain concept
DIOGENES Diet, gene and health (CP-IP - 13 m ) IDEFICS Dietary factors, social environment and lifestyle affecting the health of children in Europe (CP-IP 13 m ) OBELIX Influence of chemicals in environment on obesity (CP-SP- 3 m ) FP6-FP7 FP7 projects HABEAT Determining factors and critical periods in food habit formation and breaking in early childhood (CP-6 m ) FULL4HEALTH Understanding food-gut-brain mechanisms across the lifespan in the regulation of hunger and satiety (CP-IP- 9 m ) NEUROFAST Integrated neurobiology of food intake, addiction and stress (CP-IP-6 m ) 12
FP7 Malnutrition Projects INSTAPA Novel staple food-based strategies to improve micronutrient status for better health and development in sub-saharan Africa (CP-3 m ) AFTER African Food Tradition Revisited by Research CHANCE Low cost technologies and traditional ingredients for the production of affordable, nutritionally correct foods improving health in population groups at risk of poverty SUNRAY Identifying research needs on malnutrition in Africa (CP-1 m ) EURECCA To harmonise the way micronutrient recommendations are produced in Europe for vulnerable population groups (NoE - 13.2 m ) 13
ACTIVITY 2.2 Eco-innovation, Food industry, prevention diet-related diseases and disorders NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH Nutrition JPI HEALTHY DIET FOR A HEALTHY LIFE EARLY NUTRITION TRANSLATION MECHANISMS FOR MICRONUTRIENTS Food quality and safety FOOD STRUCTURE FOR SATIETY REFORMULATION REDUCING POST-HARVEST LOSS WORK PROGRAMME 2011 Priorities Consumer Food processing Total food chain and Environment 14
Research challenges: Optimisation of resource use Supplier Processing Distribution Consumer Losses in field, transport, storage Sustainable production Conversion losses, storage Spoilage and distribution losses Technological advances to reduce losses Reducing waste Development and harmonisation of standards Storage, preparation, waste Overeating Sustainable consumption Strategies against malnutrition Tailored food products
16 EC Web sites www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/kbbe/home_en.htm EU research http://www.europa.eu/comm/research 6th Framework Programme http://cordis.europa.eu/fp6/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction =UserSite.FP6HomePage 7 th Framework Programme http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ DG Research Site http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm RTD info magazine http://ec.europa.eu/comm/research/rtdinfo
Strategies for improved nutrition at all levels Adapted to needs of the target populations Promote prevention instead of curative treatments Effect of nutrition on early programming and later health consequences (e.g. physical & mental deficiencies, CVD, diabetes, allergy, ) Nutrigenomics to better understand the interaction between diet, genes, environment and health => personalised nutrition How better fortify food to cover micronutrient deficiencies Improve crops with nutritional values Challenge for the future Increase efficacy of the food chain using of advanced technology Knowledge transfer: assessment and identifying the best practices of previous and on-going measures aimed at transfering successfully and efficiently the scientific results to the end users
WORKSHOP ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATIONS TO TACKLE MALNUTRITION Brussels, 16 November 2010 Double burden of malnutrition Childhood obesity Influence of chemicals in the environment on obesity Converging technologies, innovations and obesity (nutrigenomics, neuroimaging,etc) Identification of future research needs