Summary of discussions held at the International Congress on Nutrition (ICN) Paris 2025
Summary of Discussions - a blog by Julia Sekula, Head of Nutrition Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Monique Cashion, Group Manager Food & Nutrition Meat & Livestock Australia
In the magnificent city of Paris, the International Congress on Nutrition brought together nutrition professionals from around the world from August 24-29 2025 to have a dialogue on healthy and sustainable diets. The strength of the evidence and the recommendations were evaluated and there were up to 4000 participants from 120 countries represented.
We heard from the World Health Organisation that ‘We’re in a critical moment’ the WHO targets have been extended and success requires significant collaboration.
Unanimously there is strong agreement that red meat is a nutrient dense food that is needed in a healthy diet. There is still debate on the recommended amounts and the emphasis is for people to move to plant forward / plant rich healthy diets to lower the environmental impact.
The cost of a healthy diet is a key barrier for people around the globe, therefore bioavailability and a diverse range of foods was considered. Key discussions occurred looking at the economic considerations for countries who are recommending significant shifts in the animal:plant ratio. Recommendations versus reality needs to be taken into consideration, especially with most recommendations coming from high income countries where it is the Low to Middle Income Countries who are increasing their want for red meat and, nutritionally, when balanced with how these countries improve their own agricultural systems will improve nutritional intake.
There is an acknowledgement that translating ’plant forward’ recommendations into realistic meal plans that people will follow is a challenge as it is very different to how they are currently eating. Knowledge translation is a key challenge and there is a need to align global aspirations with local realities. Countries were encouraged to develop and adopt their own dietary guidelines.
What are healthy diets?
The FAO/WHO definition of a healthy diet is: “healthy diets promote health, growth & development, support active lifestyles, prevent nutritional deficiencies & excesses, communicable & non-communicable diseases, foodbourne diseases & promote wellbeing”. There are four universal principles for a healthy diet: it must be adequate, diverse, balanced & moderate.
The UN stats data added minimum dietary diversity as an SDG2 indicator (5 out of 9 food groups) which is a key part of the conversation about what and how people eat.
Different countries have different challenges, so this needs to be taken into account when looking at how to achieve adequate nutrition in a malnourished world.
Discussions on how we ensure a healthy diet. Acknowledgment of how nutrient rich red meat is. We need to consider how we have these conversations and look at innovative solutions for example, utilising organ meats, such as liver and producing hybrid foods. As a sector, how do we create a value added framework for red meat to ensure it remains part of a healthy, balanced & sustainable diet.
The importance of protein quantity, quality and digestibility was discussed across various sessions on both animal and plant foods. Ensuring dietary patterns have a mix of both is key. It’s challenging for older people to meet their protein requirements with plant based protein which is essential for maintaining muscle mass. Need to reconsider protein requirements, based on current research, recommendations are ~30% lower than they should be when protein availability is taken into account. We need to find the balance between sustainability recommendations and the impact on health.
There is an upcoming FAO systematic review of plant-based meat alternatives that looks at a variety of considerations from nutrient density to taste and perception. Most research in this space is within soy-based products rather than other options such as insect, algae & cell-based alternatives.
Key discussions about how simply ‘replacing’ animal protein with an alternative can't happen - not only due to protein bioavailability but also, the other key nutrients & their availability. Taste and acceptability was also an issue. When considered with the environmental story, further research into plant based analogues is warranted and required.
Extensive discussion on ultra processed foods and their impact on health as well as how technology can be used for healthy and sustainable diets. Discussions for both sides in terms of processing occurred with strong debate. There is a series of reviews being published in November on this topic which will be important for the food industry to be across.
GLP-1 weight loss drugs were discussed as being most successful when part of a long term strategy that involves integrating nutrition and physical activity including optimum protein intakes to help maintain muscle mass as people lose weight.
Disaggregating pork, beef and amino acid recommendations is important. Research where all red meat and also processed meat is lumped together continues to be a concern. Ultimately it fogs the conversation with actual significance and true causation not clear.
Importance of pregnant women, older adults, people within our countries without access to a healthy diet and other vulnerable groups, their requirements for nutrition are different to that of most adult women & men. Opportunity lies in how we as a sector work with these groups.
IMS co-sponsored a session with the Canadian nutrition society ‘Protein in the human diet – balance between adequacy and sustainability. Rajavel Elango focused on dietary protein and the importance of taking into account the bioavailability of essential amino acids when making sustainability recommendations. Adam Drewnowski highlighted the reality that as developing countries become wealthier they will demand an intake of red meat as a key nutrient source and he used the rise of animal protein in India and China as examples. Stella Nordhagen presented the facts on the nutrient density of animal sourced foods and that livestock is a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions although also has benefits such as improved soil health and productive use of rainwater and marginal lands that are not used for agricultural purposes. She also highlighted the importance of animal sourced foods in cultures worldwide and to apply an equity lens ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to animal sourced foods. As a way forward she encouraged the agricultural sector to continue their sustainability practices and for low income countries to learn from more efficient productions in higher income countries. She also advised to shift diets away from high impact animal sourced foods to those with lower impact and higher nutritional value. Alternatives to animal sourced foods are to be chosen carefully as it is a diverse category with varied environmental and nutrition impacts.
The next meeting in 2029 will be held in Vancouver Canada and the theme is integrating science, culture and innovation for a healthier planet.
What’s coming up?
International conference on food composition methodology - Rome
EAT Lancet 2025 2nd Commission - Oct
German dietary guidelines review of protein - end 2025
WHO recommendations on optimal intake of animal sourced foods - mid 2026
FAO review of alternative plant proteins - late 2025/early 2026
Where are the opportunities?
Educate the nutrient density of red meat at point of purchase.
Innovate with the 5th quarter.
Engage, be positive and be part of the conversation, we eat food, not nutrients and there is a place for red meat in a healthy, balanced sustainable diet.
Talk about taste, this is key component of how we eat and enjoy food.
Boosting animal health and maximising whole carcass utilisation to reduce waste and ensure more people have access to nutrient dense food is required.