▶
Day 1 - 25 May 2026 - Thematic Session 2 - Data‑Driven, Food Systems‑Based Approaches

#RomeNutritionWeek2026 | Day 1 - 25 May 2026 - Thematic Session 2 - Data‑Driven, Food Systems‑Based Approaches to Strengthen Dietary Guidelines​

In a changing global context, dietary guidelines are increasingly expected to move beyond nutrient adequacy alone and adopt food‑system‑based approaches that consider nutritional value, health, sustainability, cultural relevance, and feasibility. This shift requires the integration of a wide array of data—from food availability, dietary patterns, nutrient composition and bioavailability, and environmental considerations to robust evidence on human nutrient requirements. 

This 75‑minute thematic session will articulate the relevance of data in building a broader evidence landscape supporting the next generation of dietary guidelines. It will present the new FAO methodology for developing dietary guidelines considering food systems, the joint FAO–IAEA work on energy metabolism and protein digestibility assessment, highlighting how new empirical data, when curated in big databases, contribute to this goal, and showcase how Mexico has integrated its guidelines into regulatory frameworks.  Rather than focusing on energy and protein in isolation, the session will consider how big data can aid dialogue on updating energy and protein requirements in tandem with the latest evidence, how the data can be interpreted alongside food‑system data to inform coherent, realistic, and context‑specific food systems‑based dietary guidelines, and how these can inform policy and regulations. 

Particular attention will be given to the relevance of big data for low‑ and middle‑income countries, where dietary guidelines must respond simultaneously to malnutrition in all its forms, rapid dietary transitions, and evolving food systems. 

By connecting data science with food‑system thinking and policy processes, the session will underscore the value of inter‑agency and multisectoral collaboration in delivering dietary guidelines that are evidence‑based, policy‑relevant, and fit for a changing world.