Making small changes

Schellhaass talks about how food impacts general health and well-being. Food science and technology have had critical roles in increased life expectancy over the past century. The science shows that the impact of diet on health extends well beyond basic nutrition. There is a convergence between health, wellness, and diet, and food science plays an important part of this movement. Several years ago, IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) recognized the upcoming movement and took action. In mid-January, IFT participated in a Small Changes Summit that was held at the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) in conjunction with the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) to promote the release of the paper with speakers from participating organization. Achievable small changes include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking an extra 2,000 steps a day, reducing food portion size by 5%, replacing sweetened beverages with non-caloric beverages, and eating a nutritious breakfast. The message is reaching consumers.