In bringing together key players and experts, the International Whole Grain Summit with the subtitle "Driving whole grain adoption throughout the food supply chain" aims to seek innovative ideas that translate the available scientific and technological knowledge into application, enabling and motivating an increase in the availability of affordable and appetizing whole grain products in a diversity of markets. As the only international conference on whole grains, and with its highly interactive, discussion-based format, this meeting allows ample opportunity for participants across sectors and nationalities to share ideas and best-practices while simultaneously creating a clear action plan to increase whole grain consumption and create lasting change in our food landscape.
The Importance of Whole Grains
We know that increasing whole grain intake presents a profound public health opportunity. Decades of scientific studies and nutrition research have clearly demonstrated the link between increased whole grain consumption and reduced risk of many diseases. But, despite overwhelming evidence that we should be eating more whole grains, populations around the world struggle to meet recommended levels of intake. The Global Burden of Diseases Study found that "low intake of whole grains was the leading dietary risk factor for [disability-adjusted life-years] among men and women and the leading dietary risk factor for mortality among women" ahead of high sodium intake, high trans-fat intake, and high sugar-sweetened-beverage intake. Repeated health economics studies, including several conducted by the Whole Grain Initiative, show that there is an enormous healthcare cost savings potential associated with increasing whole grain intake and thereby reducing rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Beyond the opportunities for improved public health, whole grains take a leading role in sustainable diets. The commission of scientists involved in the EAT Lancet report, concluded that almost one-third of all calories should come from whole grains if we are to maximize both human and environmental health. When we think about timely issues such as food security and the challenges brought by climate change, it seems obvious that we should be choosing grains in their entirety, utilizing the best, most-nutritious parts of the grain.
Why should I attend the International Whole Grain Summit?
The Whole Grain Summit is not your typical scientific conference. Its unique format is the key to its success, and it provides active, complementary roles for both science and industry to play alongside each other. We’re willing to bet you won’t attend another event this year that creates as much actionable momentum as this one will, and our past events have an impressive record of success to back this up.
On the second day of the Summit event, participants engage in a highly interactive series of World Café-style discussions. Prepared questions are used to start lively conversations about the most effective ways to translate science into application, always keeping focus on the end goal of increasing global whole grain intake. Through collaboration and intense brainstorming with participants from all different sectors, nations, and perspectives, conclusions are gradually reached through the course of the day. The quality of the results and the moments of clarity and insight offered by these discussions cannot be understated.
The conclusions from 2017 Whole Grain Summit roundtable discussions provided a list of key actions and ignited the formation of the Whole Grain Initiative (WGI). The WGI immediately got to work pursuing a strategy of action and advocacy at every level to advance whole grain intake and push the industry forward.
This is an opportunity for you – whether you’re a scientist, a manufacturer, a retailer or wholesaler, a miller, a contract caterer, a dietitian, or a policymaker – to get in the same room with movers and shakers from across sectors and create a common action plan that drives whole grain adoption throughout the food supply chain.
Core Summit topics to be discussed in plenary and in the interactive workshops (World Café format):
Nutrition & Health
Consumers & Communication
Commercial Production, Reformulation, & Availability
The World Café Format
The WGS25 is designed to lay a strong foundation for working together on the future plans/projects/actions that contribute to ideas that translate the available scientific and technological knowledge into application, enabling and motivating an increase in the availability of affordable and appetizing whole grain products in a diversity of markets.
In order to share participant´s expertise, experience, knowledge and capabilities to bring scientific knowledge to society the World Café Format has been chosen. This method is based on discussing important topics with ± 10-12 participants (with one designated moderator) where participants are stimulated to discuss and write down their thoughts and ideas. This can be done either on a paper table cloth or on flipcharts – depending on the group and/or moderator. Core topic tables will be installed, each with a unique discussion issue derived from the working groups in advance. Overall, each issue will be discussed for two hours with each moderator. Within that time, participants will move from table to table at set interval, to participate to different topics. The moderators of the tables and the overall chair of the core topic will also summarize the results of the discussions for a short plenary presentation to the full audience.
The organizers will propose ideal group constellations at the start of the conference to enable maximum benefit and output for all participants.
What Has the Whole Grain Initiative Accomplished?
The Whole Grain Initiative is an impressive example of what happens when we harness the power of thought leadership and inter-disciplinary collaboration. Its accomplishments include the following:
The Whole Grain Definitions working group:
The Health Economics working group:
The Communications and Partnerships working group:
The Food Policy working group:
The Whole Grain Intake Recommendations working group:
The Asia-Pacific working group:
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