Plenary highlights

The plenary talks at the conference offered an exploration of key topics in nutrition and health, combining research with practical applications. Plenary 1, presented by Professor Jeremy Krebs (University of Otago), focused on the He Rourou Whai Painga study, a collaborative research project in New Zealand examining the impact of a Mediterranean dietary pattern on cardiometabolic health. This project aimed to overcome challenges in implementing a Mediterranean diet within non-Mediterranean populations by adapting the diet to New Zealand’s local food environment.

The second plenary, delivered by Dr Catherine Wall (University of Otago), explored the rapidly expanding field of gut health, focusing on translating diet and microbiota research into practical recommendations. Wall highlighted the burgeoning interest in the gut microbiome and its connections to various chronic diseases, mental health issues and autoimmune disorders. The presentation addressed the challenges of defining ‘good gut health’ and emphasised the need for practical strategies to educate the public about dietary changes to support gut health.

In Plenary 3 within the Infant and Toddler Nutrition session, Michelle Gibbs (Ministry of Primary Industries) highlighted the importance of ensuring infants and young children have access to safe and nutritious food. She discussed the First Foods New Zealand^{(Reference Taylor, Conlon and Beck4)} and Young Foods New Zealand studies, which included 925 infants and young children under 4 years. The studies offer invaluable information on the nutrient intakes of infants and toddlers. She outlined the use of this data for the 2024 New Zealand Total Diet Survey (which measures exposure to contaminants and chemicals from the food supply and food packaging) and for informing the regulation of commercial foods for infants. These studies are contributing to the development of food policy and safety regulations in New Zealand and address a gap in data on food and nutrient intakes in infants and young children, left by the absence of recent National Nutrition Surveys in New Zealand^{(Reference Ni Mhurchu, Bleakley and Cleghorn5)}.

Both Plenary 4 and Plenary 5 addressed nutrition in older adults. Plenary 4, presented by Associate Professor Fiona Lithander (Liggins Institute), focused on the impact of Parkinson’s disease (PD) on nutrition. She highlighted how both PD symptoms and treatments can impair nutritional status, emphasising the importance of early nutrition support. Key issues include gastrointestinal dysfunction, sarcopenia, food-drug interactions and osteoporosis. Lithander called for greater awareness among nutrition professionals and more robust research through longitudinal studies and clinical trials.

Plenary 5, delivered by Professor Robin Daly (Deakin University), addressed sarcopenia – age-related muscle loss linked to frailty and chronic diseases. Daly discussed diagnosis, prevention and management strategies, stressing the role of strength training and adequate protein and energy intake. He also highlighted the need for better education among healthcare providers and noted the rapid muscle loss during hospital stays. Emerging interventions like multi-nutrient supplements and gut health strategies were also explored.

Moving from older adults to the youngest infants Dr Lisa Daniels (Plenary 6) and colleagues developed the Human Milk Intake Level Calculations (HuMILC) tool to estimate human milk intake in infants aged 7–10 months. Developed using data from the First Foods New Zealand study and stable isotope techniques, the tool identified key intake predictors like age, BMI, breastfeeding frequency and complementary food intake. Validated against measured data, HuMILC offers a more accurate and practical method for assessing infant nutrition in large-scale studies.

Abstract highlights

The abstracts followed similar themes to the plenary talks. Several highlighted innovative solutions to sustainable food sources and nutritional outcomes using complex mathematical models. Building on this progress by integrating culturally acceptable foods and eating practices offers an opportunity to enhance these approaches.

In the ‘Food Surveillance to Inform Policy’ session, the Ministry for Primary Industries and the University of Auckland presented findings from a trans-fat audit of 632 food products. Seventeen percent exceeded the WHO limit of 2 g/100 g total fat. To finish this session some qualitative research was presented about the diverse transferable skills identified by recent nutrition graduates as important to securing employment and career success, including teamwork, communication and networking.

Zahrah Hatraby (University of Otago) won the student oral prize for her research on food waste in the Ka Ora, Ka Ako school lunch programme. Over three days in eight Dunedin schools, she found that most waste stemmed from oversupply rather than plate waste. She called for improved national monitoring, especially in light of recent changes to programme funding and suppliers. Caitlin Haliburton (University of Auckland) was runner-up for her oral presentation on child-targeted food marketing. Her audit found that nearly half of snack foods and 40 % of confectionery used child-appealing packaging. Using the WHO Nutrient Profiling Model, she showed that 80–100 % of these products were unhealthy, recommending stronger policies to limit children’s exposure. Sujirtha Vishnukumar (Massey University) won the poster prize for her study on the impact of home gardens on nutrition in rural Sri Lanka, and Elisa Weiss (The University of Auckland) was the runner-up with research on the effects of parental diets on offspring metabolic health in a rat model.

Communicating with impact panel discussion

A panel session including registered nutritionists and dietitians with expertise in communicating with the public was well attended. The panel was planned to encourage participants to develop skills and confidence to counteract the large amount of nutrition misinformation that has become increasingly prominent on social media networks^{(Reference Segado Fernandez, Jimenez Gomez and Jimenez Hidalgo6)}. The panel was co-chaired by Donnell Alexander (New Zealand Food and Grocery Council) and Associate Professor Helen Eyles (The University of Auckland). The panel comprised Julie North (FoodCom), Conrad Goodhew (Dietitian), Joanne Todd (FoodBiz) and Daniel Walker (Science Media Centre). The panel covered tips around tackling nutrition misinformation, engaging clients through social media, strategies for working with media and preparing for interviews and working with the food industry. The session was highly interactive, with many questions being fielded from the audience.

Muriel Bell lecture

The first day of the conference was finished by the Muriel Bell Lecture delivered by Professor Pamela von Hurst (Massey University). The annual lecture is named in honour of Dr Muriel Bell, a pioneering figure in New Zealand’s nutrition history. Dr Bell was the country’s first State Nutritionist and played a key role in advancing public health initiatives, including the distribution of milk in schools, promotion of iodised salt and fluoridation of water. To honour her legacy, the Muriel Bell Lecture series was established, and a distinguished member of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand is invited to deliver a lecture in recognition of their contribution to nutrition or related sciences. Professor von Hurst shared her research on Vitamin D and urged nutrition professionals to leverage their expertise to combat misinformation and promote evidence-based nutrition practices. She also emphasised the value of professional networks and encouraged others to take on leadership roles in the field.

Workshops – an opportunity for application and networking

Building on the success of delegate-led workshops at the previous conference, this year’s event again offered members the opportunity to attend practical, interactive sessions. Four workshops were held concurrently on Thursday and three on Friday. All workshop proposals were reviewed by the conference programme committee. Workshop topics included identifying low energy intake in endurance athletes, navigating gluten-free diets for clients with coeliac disease, leveraging the non-diet approach and advocating for food policy reform. Innovative sessions also explored co-design strategies to promote healthy eating, address food insecurity and navigate the complexities of the global food system. Every workshop emphasised collaboration, practical application and the crucial role of nutritionists in driving positive change. Similar to the 2023 conference, the evaluation showed that delegates appreciated the opportunity to attend applied and practical workshops within the conference.

Summary

The 58th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand embodied the spirit of ‘Kotahitanga’, uniting professionals across research, industry and practice. The event highlighted key advances in nutrition, from sustainable food systems to gut health and ageing, while emphasising the importance of culturally tailored approaches. A strong call to action emerged for nutritionists to actively combat misinformation, advocate for evidence-based practices and empower the public to make informed choices. By fostering collaboration and showcasing innovation, the conference reinforced the role of nutrition professionals in working together to improve health and wellbeing in New Zealand and beyond.