In the first of our OIRC Diet and Health blog series we catch up with the internationally recognised researcher Professor Philip Calder. Prof Calder talks about how the OIRC Hub i-NutriLife is generating new scientific evidence focussed on improving diet quality across the life course.
The i-NutriLife Hub: Helping to Solve Diet and Health Challenges Through Academia-Industry Partnership
Why diet quality matters across the life course
Diet is a key determinant of human health and well-being. Early in life, the diet must provide the components necessary for growth, development and acquisition of cell and tissue function. Throughout the entire life course the diet must provide the components necessary to support maintenance of physiological function and body composition as well as defence and repair. Consequently, at any point in the life course a good quality diet is essential to achieving and maintaining health and resilience to internal and external stressors.
Early life nutrition: a critical window
We now know that diet in early life can influence many physiological systems in ways that are long-lasting affecting health in later life (“programming”). This emphasises the importance of diet quality in the preconception, pregnancy and infancy stages of the life course in order to assure short- AND long-term health.
The challenge: poor diets are common and costly
Unfortunately, poor diets are common. These may be diets that provide a) an overabundance of energy beyond what is required; b) insufficient essential nutrients (e.g. vitamins, trace elements, omega-3 fatty acids) and other important dietary components (e.g. fibre, phytochemicals); c) excess of specific components that become harmful (e.g. salt). Sometimes all three of these dietary features can coincide. There is a clear need to improve the quality of diet in order to enable a healthier and more productive population.
How i-NutriLife brings academia and industry together
Research supported by the i-NutriLife Hub brings academic and industry partners together to design and test innovative solutions to life course dietary challenges. Funded projects support research on the effects of meals, individual foods and drinks, and specific nutrients and other components of foods on one or more body systems.
Beyond early life: supporting perimenopause and healthy ageing
While research addressing the short- and long-term effects of “early diet” is core to i-NutriLife, the Hub is also funding research around diet and perimenopausal health and around healthy ageing, both key challenges right now.
What our funded studies are exploring
Funded studies investigate marine- and plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids; fibres, prebiotics, probiotics and short chain fatty acids; creatine; vitamin A5; plant proteins; nutrient fortified foods; and school meal improvements. The focus of funded research has been on improving diet quality in early life and in older people and developing strategies to improve gut and cognitive health, immune resilience and muscle strength. i-NutriLife is especially proud to have supported research lead by early career researchers and involving SMEs.
A Hub for all stakeholders
The overall aim of i-NutriLife is to generate new scientific evidence linking to the development of new food and beverage products to meet consumer needs and improve health across the life course. While academia and industry are key stakeholders for i-NutriLife, the research funded is equally relevant to policy makers and consumers and i-Nutrilife welcomes membership from representatives of all stakeholder groups.
Want to find out more?
See our website (www.i-nutrilife.org) to find out about funded projects and joining i-NutriLife.
About the author: Professor Philip Calder is the i-NutriLife Hub Lead and Head of the School of Human Development and Health at the University of Southampton. He is Professor of Nutritional Immunology and is internationally recognised for research on fatty acids (including omega-3) and the influence of diet and nutrients on immune and inflammatory responses.
