DietBB Seminar Series: „nutriCARD“ (Competence Cluster for Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health)

Copyright: DietBB, University of Bonn

September 21, 2015

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading health problem and the main cause of death in industrialized countries. Our diet is crucial for the prevention of CVD, as it affects almost all modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. The consumption of processed food products rich in energy, saturated fat, salt and refined carbohydrates characterizes nutrition in the developed world, thereby increasing the risk of CVD. Prof. Dr. Stefan Lorkowski, speakerperson of nutriCard, will talk and give an overview about the competence cluster.

The aims of the nutriCARD initiative are to develop healthier food products, to improve nutritional behavior and to better understand how nutrition affects CVD. The long-term objective is to improve cardiovascular health and to reduce the number of diet-related CVD events in Germany.

Time and location of the seminar: 17:00-17:45 Hörsaal XVII, EG, Nußallee 17.

The nutriCARD cluster was initiated by researchers in Halle, Jena and Leipzig to substantially improve nutrition research and cardiovascular health. Access to cohort data (CARLA, EPIC, LIFE, LURIC and National Cohort), expertise in cardiovascular cell and animal models, human intervention studies, food technology and hygiene, communication as well as economic activities in the Central and Eastern part of Germany are essential strengths of nutriCARD and the basis to realize the concept from idea to application. To achieve its aims, the holistic, interdisciplinary and translational approach of the nutriCARD cluster addresses 4 major issues: (i) development of cardioprotective food by using novel approaches in food technologies, (ii) research on the contribution of nutrients to CVD which emphasize gender and age aspects, (iii) identification, characterization and validation of biomarkers and gene-nutrient interactions in large cohort studies, and (iv) development of marketing strategies as well as innovative communication strategies to improve cardiovascular health in the broad population. Conclusions: nutriCARD has the vision to become a strong research hub to invigorate nutrition science in Central and Eastern Germany and to improve cardiovascular health.

Source: Prof. Dr. Stefan Lorkowski: BMBF Competence Cluster for Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health (nutriCARD), abstract, 2015.

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