View From ADA: The Latest Buzz in Nutrition

By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Director of Nutrition

(Chicago) -- More than 10,000 registered dietitians from around the world gathered in Chicago at the end of October to learn the latest food and nutrition research, news and trends at the American Dietetic Association annual food and nutrition conference.

As a dietitian, these annual meetings are a cherished part of my life; a time to catch up with friends and former students, network with colleagues, and get up to date on all things nutrition.

As you would expect at a nutrition conference, there's always plenty of food samples to try -- healthy of course -- so it's good that you get a lot of exercise walking through the Windy City's huge McCormick Place exhibit hall. But in between sampling the latest in low fat yogurt and frozen fruit bars and catching up with colleagues, there's plenty of education going on.

Here are some of the "hot" topics that generated the most discussion among dietitians:

Going green: This subject, along with sustainability and eating a more plant based diet, generated some of the loudest buzz. Did you know that your diet affects greenhouse gas emissions? As speaker Kate Geagan, MS, RD, told us, the American diet is the SUV of eating styles. What you eat, how far it is shipped, packaging materials, and how much you waste all contribute to your carbon footprint.

It probably comes as no surprise that Americans have big feet!

To reduce our carbon footprint we need to be more energy efficient in food selection, waste and in our kitchens. (http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/8-ways-to-go-green-in-your-kitchen)

Simple tips to live a more energy efficient life include eating fewer processed foods, cutting back on disposable products and reducing food and kitchen waste. We can also become more energy efficient if we just cut the number of calories we eat each day.

In addition to having health benefits, eating a plant-based diet is green friendly because it requires less energy than most animal products to produce. Experts urged attendees to move the meat off the center of the plate and eat more plant foods, especially ones grown locally using sustainable growing methods.

Protein: Protein has been the latest darling in diet circles because it keeps your stomach full longer than carbs or fat, but it is also very important to prevent a potentially debilitating disease. A condition known as sarcopenia, or progressive muscle loss, could be a silent epidemic for baby boomers, according to researchers. Strength training and eating protein at each meal were the simple take away messages to avoid sarcopenia.

Weight loss: How could dietitians convene and not talk about weight loss? There was no magic bullet here, but more studies confirming that tried and true methods such as regular weighing, keeping food records, being physically active, eating slower and the use of meal replacements are working to help people lose weight and keep it off.