Beyond The Headlines: Bayer leverages AI for personalized nutrition, Abbott partners with Real Madrid Foundation

02 Jun 2023 --- This week in nutrition news, Bayer created a new division to deliver personalized nutrition and health care, while Abbott Nutrition teamed up with Real Madrid’s charity foundation to combat malnutrition in children. Meanwhile, Nestlé Health Science partnered with the Indian Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition to raise awareness around gut health for tube- and intravenous-fed patients.

In brief: Nutrition news
Bayer’s consumer health division introduced a new business unit focused on developing precision health products across its everyday health categories. The company aims to empower individuals to have greater control over their personal health through digital solutions, informed decision-making and novel delivery methods. Recognizing the increasing demand for personalized healthcare, the company says it plans to bridge the gap between monitoring and prevention by leveraging technology advancements. It further stated that the newly formed Bayer Precision Health group will identify digital healthcare opportunities, address unmet needs and deliver evidence-based precision health products worldwide. The company has already initiated projects in the precision health field, including an AI-based symptom assessment tool and a digital heart risk assessment and says it anticipates launching additional projects in the near future.

At the same time, Abbott Nutrition, Real Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation launched the ‘Beat Malnutrition’ campaign to combat childhood malnutrition through nutrition education and screening. The campaign aims to empower communities and provide screening tools to identify malnutrition in children. Abbott and Real Madrid have collaborated to create custom-designed armbands inspired by the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) z-score tape, which will be worn by players and distributed to fans during Real Madrid’s match against Athletic Bilbao. Abbott will also donate over 10,000 MUAC z-score tapes to communities in need. Additionally, a ‘Run to Beat Malnutrition’ race is scheduled to be held in Madrid and Abbott will host a virtual edition to reach a global audience. The partnership between Abbott and the Real Madrid Foundation includes implementing health and nutrition curriculum, training coaches to use the MUAC z-score tape and raising awareness about malnutrition.

Nestlé Health Science has partnered with the Indian Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (IAPEN) to raise awareness about gut health management. The collaboration, which took place on World Digestive Health Day, aims to educate healthcare practitioners on solutions for gut issues and improve the lives of individuals who suffer from them. Nestlé Health Science conducted educational sessions for over 800 healthcare practitioners across 26 IAPEN chapters, focusing on the role of prebiotics, immunity-supporting nutrients, probiotic supplementation and Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG) as a novel gut health solution. Additionally, Nestlé Health Science India recently launched Resource Fiber Choice, a gut health solution containing PHGG, which is a prebiotic dietary fiber that helps relieve constipation and improve gut health.

BGG World obtained a Japanese patent for its innovative method of identifying authentic Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) extract, aiming to combat the widespread issue of adulteration in the market. Saw Palmetto, a palm native to the southeastern US, is harvested for its berries, which are then dried and extracted to produce Saw Palmetto oil. Due to increasing demand and natural factors like hurricanes, the price of Saw Palmetto extract has risen, leading to a surge in adulterated products, with some regions experiencing over 50% adulteration. Current analytical methods make it challenging to distinguish genuine Saw Palmetto oil from oils from different sources. BGG’s new method utilizes high-performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC, to identify minor components unique to Serenoa, ensuring the authenticity of the extract.

In brief: Product launches
Goli Nutrition, a leading wellness company known for its apple cider vinegar and ashwagandha vitamins, has launched Beets Cardio Gummies. The company states that the gummies are formulated with CoQ10 to support cardiovascular health, vitamin B12 for heart-healthy cellular energy and beetroot extract. The company says Beets Cardio Gummies will quickly become a favorite among consumers due to their unique purpose and beneficial ingredients.

Z Natural Foods has announced the launch of the collagen product Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen Peptides. Collagen, which is known to be essential for skin health, naturally decreases over time, leading to signs of aging. Z Natural Foods states that it sources its collagen from premium marine sources, ensuring quality and purity and holds that its collagen powder has a rich amino acid profile, making it easily absorbed by the body to replenish collagen levels. Moreover, it states that, In addition to benefiting skin health, the product also supports joint health, hair and nail strength and overall well-being.

In brief: Animal Nutrition
360 Pet Nutrition launched Freeze Dried Raw Complete Meal for Adult Dogs, Chicken Formula, which it says is a nutritious meal containing 16 ounces of high-quality chicken and vegetables to support overall health and well-being in dogs. It further reveals that the chicken formula is rich in protein, promoting strong bones and muscles for an active lifestyle and says that the freeze-dried raw process sets the offering apart from other dog foods by preserving the natural form of the ingredients and providing a wholesome and all-natural meal. The product includes responsibly sourced animal protein, fruits and vegetables, as well as omega 3 fats for joint comfort, muscle strength and a healthy coat.

The popular cat food and treat brand Friskies introduced Friskies Playfuls – a round-shaped treat designed to roll and inspire play in cats, providing a unique and exciting way for owners to engage with their pets. The company notes that playing with pets is beneficial for the animals’ physical and mental health and helps strengthen the bond between owners and cats. However, Friskies emphasizes that it is important to engage in positive play and avoid actions that may cause stress or betray the cat’s trust and states that Friskies Playfuls treats can be used during playtime to keep cats mentally stimulated while providing a rewarding experience.

In brief: Scientific studies
A review published in Trends in Molecular Medicine found that diet can play a crucial role in preventing up to one-third of the most common cancers. The study emphasizes the potential of incorporating dietary interventions into cancer treatment to revolutionize cancer therapy using precision nutrition – which aims to design personalized diets for individuals – as a means to maximize treatment effectiveness while minimizing adverse effects. The researchers further note that, despite promising results in preclinical studies, dietary interventions have not yet been widely implemented in clinical settings for cancer patients. The study further discusses the anticancer effects of various diets, including caloric restriction, the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting and highlights the need for more rigorous clinical trials and standardized implementation of diets as treatment. Additionally, the study explored the connection between diet, obesity, the microbiome and immune system function in relation to cancer occurrence and progression, leading the authors to conclude that tailored nutrition and diet to individual patients based on tumor metabolism and molecular profiles could lead to significant advancements in cancer therapy.

Finally, a recent peer-reviewed study conducted by the University of Gothenburg found that unhealthy food dominates the weekly grocery store flyers in Sweden. The study analyzed advertisements from 122 grocery stores in Västra Götaland County over a four-week period in the spring of 2020. It found that as much as two-thirds of the space in the flyers was occupied by unhealthy or essentially unhealthy foods, with high-sugar foods and drinks being the most common category. The researchers concluded that the advertisements are not aligned with the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, which form the basis of Swedish dietary guidelines and highlighted that some food chains tend to market more unhealthy food in areas with poorer economic conditions. The researchers emphasized the need to question the product range in grocery store promotions, especially in times of rising food prices.

By William Bradford Nichols