The 5 Trends that are Shaping the Future of Nutrition

The state of nutrition looks very little like it did only a few years ago.

Without an understanding of how to tailor nutrition to each individual person, dietary recommendations were one-size-fits-all, and the Food Pyramid or Plate was supposed to be the solution for everyone — as if everyone were all the same size, had the same metabolism, and processed food the same way. Which, we know, they don’t.

As our knowledge of food, genetics, and environmental impacts on the body have increased, we can thankfully leave the outdated systems, recommendations, and pyramids in the past. Today, we know more about how genetics informs the way each individual body works and what recommendations those insights suggest. We also know more about how food molecules individually or combined can improve or heal biologic functions. We're also in a time when people want to be more educated about where their food comes from, and their choices of it.

Many of the trends today that demonstrate these advances are suggesting a bright, more insightful, and more aware future, where nutrition will make a greater impact on helping and healing individuals in very personalized ways.

?5 Trends Shaping the Future of Nutrition?

What will the future of nutrition look like? Scientific discovery and practical application going on today can show us what the major trends are and where they're leading.

1: The demand for personalized nutrition

Many individuals already know that their bodies respond differently than others: they know which exercises give them the best results, which foods make them feel energized or tired, how much sleep they need, and how caffeine affects their system. They also want more personalized services, from recommendations on what to watch next on streaming services to adjustable mattresses and customizable electronics. They're also no longer satisfied with health professionals suggesting the same approach to their diverse and unique patients. Individuals want insights into who they are, and plans that will be of the utmost benefit to them.

2: The access to genetic testing?

How can a health care practitioner personalize care for their patients? Genetic testing is the best way to truly understand how a person's system works, and is as unique as their fingerprint — meaning that practitioners can create one-size-fits-one recommendations. We know more now about how specific genes working both individually and with other genes influence how the body expresses itself. “One way that we can influence gene activity is through the foods we eat. Food can be used as a genetic on and off switch to alter our weight, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, cancer growth, and even our chances of healthy aging,” writes Joel Kahn, M.D.

“Food is no longer just a source of calories containing protein, carbs and fats. Food is information and can be viewed as a remote control to our genes.”

Having access to genetic testing is the way practitioners can discover how to control the remote.

3: Plant-based nutrition

Populations have been thriving on plant-based diets around the world for millennia, but there's been a significant shift in plant-based eating in recent years, so much so that plant-based restaurants are now filling neighborhoods, plant-based alternatives fill grocery store shelves, Meatless Monday is a trend, and food technology is iterating on plant-based meat alternative. But it's not just for fun. Once a conversation that was once only among vegans and vegetarians has hit the mainstream, questions are now surfacing about whether animal proteins are indeed healthy for individuals, or if plant-based proteins provide better benefits. The China Study discovered that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancer, and other major illnesses, reduce inflammation, and increase energy. Additionally, there’s increased concern around the sustainability of meat farming and its high impact on the environment.

4: Environmental nutrition

“The nutrition of individuals and communities can only be maintained within an environmentally sustainable context, which is currently under serious threat,” writes Drs. Sabaté, Harwatt, and Soret.

“Environmental nutrition seeks to address the sustainability of food systems by integrating the environmental sciences with the nutritional sciences, addressing a range of issues from production practices to societal demands on a biospheric scale.”

The shift to plant-based eating signals a great trend in individuals wanting to be more conscientious and informed about what they're putting into their bodies. Both practitioners and patients alike aren't just concerned with the nutrient value of the food they consume, or just what's on their plate, but the journey it took to get there.

5: Changing behavior

For a long time, the status quo was that health practitioners would tell their patients to eat a certain way or do specific exercises, without ever understanding what worked best for the patient. The approach was simply putting a Band-Aid on the symptoms, and never investigating the root causes of the issues. Today, both practitioners and patients are seeking to understand why they make the choices they make, not just addressing what choices are being made. “There is increasing realisation that, unlike with medication, dietary changes require individuals to make daily, sometimes hourly, choices,” notes BMJ in an article about personalized nutrition.

“The adoption of these lifestyle changes … is highly dependent on effective collaboration with participants who are being helped to take responsibility for their behaviour, and, ultimately, health.”

?The Future of Nutrition

The future of nutrition includes new approaches to caring for patients, and embracing the discoveries and insights science has provided in order to better understand food's impact on the body. The state of nutrition looks very little like it did only a few years ago — and that’s a great thing.