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Adam Drewnowski, PhD
Director, Center for Public Health Nutrition
University of Washington
While nutrient density is a general concept in national nutrition policy, the criteria for what it means and how it is applied varies. Currently, there is also a lack of consensus on how to define nutrient density. Several policies refer to nutrient density only by the absence of nutrients to limit, such as saturated fat, sodium and added sugar. This can lead to consumer confusion and public health consequences as foods encouraged by global dietary guidelines may also contain nutrients to limit, as well as important positive nutrients and food groups. With many recent and upcoming nutrition policy-setting activities, uniting around a common concept that recognizes the total food matrix and not nutrients in isolation can benefit public health, strenghthen nutrition policy and food innovation objectives. This session will bring together diverse perspectives from packaged food manufacturers, the food service industry and academia to discuss how to define nutrient density and its application to policy and food innovation.