The Danone Institute International, the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), and the UK-based Nutrition Society (NS) have joined forces to evaluate the state of science surrounding the relationship between yogurt consumption and health.

Through the project the Yogurt Nutrition Initiative for a balanced diet NS, ASN, and the Danone Institute International will examine the health effects of yogurt, encourage new research, and communicate their findings to health care professionals and the public.

The collaborators will hold conferences each year to communicate their findings, and encourage more research.

One of the main focus topics during the first summit will be the impact of regular yogurt consumption on nutrient deficiencies, body weight regulation, and chronic health conditions. The Danone Institute, ASN, and NSwill also examine the nutrient profile of yogurt compared to other dairy foods, and pinpoint populations that may benefit most from yogurt consumption to improve health.

According to the Danone Institute International, which works to develop and distribute scientific knowledge on diet and nutrition, the collaborative agreement with the ASN and NS could help to improve the nutritional profile of yogurt.

We are very enthusiastic to participate in this global collaboration that will contribute to increasing the scientific knowledge around yogurt as part of a healthy diet, said Danone Institute International president, Professor Raanan Shamir.

Former ASN president and professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, Sharon Donovan, added: Nutrition research continues to shed light on how individual foods and food groups affect health.

This new collaboration will help to define the evidence base for yogurts effects on health promotion and disease prevention and identify areas where more research is needed. This science-based approach aligns well with ASNs mission of advancing nutrition research and knowledge to improve public health and clinical practice worldwide, she added.

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Danone Institute teams up with nutrition bodies to examine health effects of yogurt