At the same time, the incidence of obesity-related diseases is also on the rise. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicts that between 1998 and 2025, the number of people with type 2 diabetes worldwide will double “ to 300 million “ and that the majority of the increase will be in the developing world. Moreover, 80 percent of all heart disease in the world in the next 10 years will be due to diabetes type 2 associated with overweight and obesity.

The benefits of a total nutrition solution “ one which encompasses the inclusion of a range of plant foods, and an emphasis on low fat proteins and healthy fats “ is a cornerstone in building new dietary patterns. But the challenge will be to improve the nutritional quality and diversity of the world ™s diet, while meeting demands for taste, convenience and value.

One consequence of globalization is that the world ™s people are consuming more foods that are energy rich, but nutrient poor, notes Drewnowski. And while convenience foods save time and money, restoring the nutrient balance of the global diet should be top priority. As long as there is limited access to healthy, affordable foods, nutrient supplements will be needed to help fill nutrient gaps, he adds.

The Global Nutrition Transition Conference aims to explore the impact of this dramatic shift in diet and exercise patterns on world health, and to present insights into combating what is now a universal concern.

The two-day Conference is being sponsored by Herbalife. Drs. Flechtner-Mors, Ji, Misra, and Viuniski are members of Herbalife ™s global Nutrition Advisory Board.

SOURCE Herbalife Ltd.