The International Congress of Nutrition is held every four years under the auspices of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences. The 2009 Congress was held in Bangkok, Thailand from October 4-9, 2009, and a record-breaking 4,500 participants from 107 countries attended.

In Bangkok, Oldways organized a four-hour Pre-Congress Seminar, "Effective Solutions for Healthy Lifestyles." With speakers from Thailand, China and the US, the focus of our seminar was the concept of "Management not Banishment" as a key solution for healthy lifestyles.

The major elements of the "Management not Banishment" approach presented at this meeting include the following:

1. Managing is part of our everyday life—time, money, work, for example—and success in life means learning how to manage all these activities wisely (presented by Oldways President K. Dun Gifford);

2. Recognition that consumer decision making is complex (presented by Dr. Anadi Nitithammayong, Institute of Nutrition at Mahidol University in Bangkok);

3. Overall healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean and Asian Diets, are essential for long-term good health (presented by Dr. Kallaya Kijboonchoo, also from the Institute of Nutrition at Mahidol University in Bangkok);

4. Acceptance that exercise is essential, but that simple, regular exercise such as walking is really what is needed (presented by Dr. Jim Hill of the University of Colorado at Denver);

5. Recognition that managing how much total sweetness is consumed is also one of the keys to healthy living (the Managing Sweetness Scientific Consensus Statement from the April 2008 Conference in Beijing was presented by Dr. Junshi Chen, Professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety–Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing);

6. Acknowledgement that non-nutritive sweeteners are safe and can be part of the solution for managing diabetes and weight, but only in the context of an overall healthy diet and exercise regimen (presented by Dr. Sasitorn Tongchitpakdee, PhD, Department of Food Science and Technology, Kasetsart University); and

7. Cooking is an essential element for overall healthy eating. The seminar concluded with a demonstration and tasting of two traditional Thai dishes were presented by Chef Jamnong Nirungsan, President of the Thai Chefs Association and Executive Sous Chef, Swissotel Nai Lert Park in Bangkok.

To view and download the complete program in a printer-friendly PDF, please click here.

Below are a listing of presentations from the seminar. Click on the titles to view and download printer-friendly PDF versions:

Welcome and Seminar Context: Management, Not Banishment
K. Dun Gifford, JD

The Multiple Variables of Consumer Food Choice and Perception
Anadi Nitithamyong, PhD

Healthy Eating and Drinking with Traditional Diets: Lessons Learned from Asian and Mediterranean Diets
Kallaya Kijboonchoo, PhD

Essential Role of Physical Activity in Healthy Lifestyles
James O. Hill, PhD

Managing Sweetness: It's Not The Food or Drink, It's the Amount!
Junshi Chen, MD

The Safety and Roles of Non-nutritive Sweeteners in a Healthful Lifestyle
Sasitorn Tongchitpakdee, PhD,

The seminar concluded with a demonstration and tasting of two traditional Thai dishes: Pad Thai and Tom Yang Goong, presented by Chef Jamnong Nirungsan, President of the Thai Chefs Association and Executive Sous Chef, Swissotel Nai Lert Park in Bangkok.