International Symposium: Dietary Protein for Human Health

During the 2023 International Symposium on Dietary Protein for Human Health, eminent leaders and experts presented many important updates and topics on the role of protein in human nutrition and health, such as the influence of protein quality on growth, development, and metabolism; amino acid requirements, digestibility, and availability; dietary protein quality assessment methods (including PDCAAS and DIAAS); and protein foods in sustainable diets. 

In this series, renowned international protein experts, Distinguished Professor Paul J. Moughan, Dr. Rajavel Elango and Dr. Donald Layman, answer important and timely questions on protein requirements and quality.  

Experts

Donald Layman, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Illinois
  1. What is the optimal intake of protein for an average adult? How does this optimal level compare to current intakes in North America?
  2. Is the protein RDA an optimal amount or should it be viewed as a minimum amount?
  3. Why is it important to ensure a constant supply of protein during the day and to have enough protein, particularly during the first meal of the day?
  4. How important are muscles for overall health, disease prevention, and longevity?
  5. What are the advantages of ensuring sufficient protein in the diet for weight management or weight loss?
  6. Are you concerned about the current trend toward encouraging low intakes of animal source foods, particularly for growing children, women, or people over the age of 50?
  7. Can you tell us about the specificity of milk proteins and how protein-rich milk products, in the context of a balanced meal, can contribute to a healthy diet?

 

Rajavel Elango, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital
  1. Could you please explain what the protein quality of foods refers to?
  2. Are our current recommended levels of protein sufficient to meet our needs?
  3. What is the value of animal-based protein foods in a healthy plant-based diet?
  4. What is the impact of plant-based diets on protein requirements? 
  5. What would you recommend to parents feeding their children only plant-based beverages as opposed to cow’s milk?
Paul J. Moughan, Distinguished Professor, Massey University, New Zealand
  1. Which foods are the best sources of protein?
  2. What role do high quality protein foods from animal sources play in a healthy plant-based diet?
  3. What is the importance of protein quality in developed countries, such as in North America and Europe, particularly given the push towards plant-based diets?
  4. What is the significance of your work on the new method to assess protein quality named DIAAS?
  5. Should the government integrate the DIAAS methodology in the development of their policies and guidelines?
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