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Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute spotlights key health and nutrition trends in Southeast Asia

The Future of Sustainable Nutrition event marked KHNI’s 10th anniversary, bringing together Kerry customers, industry leaders, and media to explore cutting-edge research

Healthy ageing and longevity, women’s health, accessible nutrition, and sodium reduction were the highlights of a panel discussion at the first  Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) event in Singapore.

The Future of Sustainable Nutrition event marked KHNI’s 10th anniversary, bringing together Kerry customers, industry leaders, and media to explore cutting-edge research, leading technology, and consumer behaviour forecasts that will influence food innovation in the region.

Sharing diverse perspectives on the topics were Kerry Group CEO Edmond Scanlon; KHNI’s Dr Aoife Marie Murphy; and Simon Hague, General Manager of Foodservice Chains, Kerry Southeast. Joining the Kerry team were leading experts Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, Advisor for Diabetes Singapore and President of the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association; Angelia Teo, futurist and innovation strategist; and Oliver Truesdale-Jutras, Chair of Singapore’s F&B Sustainability Council and Chef/Founder of Re: Growth, a regenerative hospitality consultancy.

Anchored on sustainable nutrition as a megatrend, the discussion focused on KHNI’s Ten Key Health and Nutrition Trends for 2025 that bear significance for the Southeast Asia market.   

Accessible Nutrition: Commented Edmond Scanlon, Kerry Group CEO: “Consumers trust the food system and it is our responsibility to make sure what is in a product is good for them. Accessible nutrition should balance five pillars – convenience, nutrition, sustainability, cost, and taste. Progress, not perfection, is key to ensuring nutritious food reaches people. If a food item cannot be offered to the mass market, that is not accessible nutrition.”

Accessible nutrition comes with challenges such as food security risks. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that 75 per cent of global food comes from just 12 plants and 5 animals. The implication, Oliver Truesdale-Jutras pointed out, is that a single disease could wipe out a fifth of our food supply.

Healthy Ageing & Longevity: By 2030, 32 per cent of Asia Pacific’s population will be over 50 but is expected to contribute 52 per cent of the region’s consumer expenditure. Quality of life in an ageing population must be addressed. Dr Aoife Marie Murphy stressed that with ageing, the loss of 5 per cent-8 per cent of muscle mass per decade after age 30 should be top of mind. With protein and exercise proven to counteract muscle loss, there is a need for compact, protein-rich options tailored for older adults.

Women’s Health: Some 80 per cent of women going through menopause will experience symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and memory loss. This is where nutrition can support, said Dr Aoife Marie Murphy, adding that educating women on the direct impact diet plays in wellbeing is vital.

Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran also reinforced the importance of supplementing the body with minerals like calcium and magnesium at key stages of life, noting that “calcium is like a bank account – up till the age of 30, if you don’t deposit the right amounts of calcium, the body will plateau. Women must build bone health early.”

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