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News Release

March 13, 2006

Dairy Trends, Benefits Focus of Symposium

The University of Guelph will host a mini-symposium dedicated to promoting nutrition education March 21 at 7 p.m. in the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre. A reception will follow. The event is free and open to the public.

The annual Campbell Lecture focuses on bringing nutrition experts to U of G and promotes interaction and discussion among those with an interest in food and nutrition.

“The study of food, nutrition and human health is receiving increasing attention on campus with interdisciplinary research efforts in the departments of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, Food Science, and Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, as well as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Advanced Foods and Materials Network,” said co-organizer Lindsay Robinson, a professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences. “This event provides an on campus forum to bring together students and faculty from these various sectors.”

This year’s symposium will explore current and emerging trends in calcium and dairy product consumption in North America, the role of dairy products in preventing chronic health conditions, the challenges and opportunities for consumer education and the resulting impact on the dairy industry. Guest speakers are Robert Heaney and Helen Bishop MacDonald.

“The health benefits of calcium and dairy products are currently receiving global attention in the scientific community, consumer sector and dairy industry. There is growing interest in the many health benefits of milk and other dairy foods that extend beyond their long-established role in building strong bones and osteoporosis prevention,” said co-organizer Andrea Buchholz, a professor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition. There is growing recognition of calcium’s role in preventing a variety of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and colon cancer, she said, and there is evidence that dairy products play a role in reducing obesity and achieving a healthy body weight.

Heaney, a professor at the Osteoporosis Research Center at Nebraska’s Creighton University, will speak on “Dairy: Calcium and Beyond.” An internationally recognized expert in the field of human calcium nutrition and bone biology, he has published more than 300 articles in this field.He had played an integral role in the development of the Dietary Reference Intakes for bone-related nutrients and is well-recognized in the area of dairy foods and obesity and weight management. He is also a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and recipient of the 2003 E.V. McCollum Award of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition.

Bishop MacDonald, is the chair of Dietitians of Canada and a nutrition consultant for Nutrisphere. She will present “From Chalk to Cheese: Educating Consumers About Calcium and Nutrition.” Known nationally and internationally as a leading nutrition educator on health benefits of milk and dairy products Bishop MacDonald is a nutrition columnist for Canadian Living magazine and the author of four books, including The Everyday Calcium Cookbook: Calcium-Rich Nutrition for Whole Body Health.

For more information, e-mail Robinson at lrobinso@uoguelph.ca or Buchholz at abuchhol@uoguelph.ca.