As developed Nations are taking steps to address rising obesity rates and the health costs associated with poor nutrition, a growing international scientific stream is shifting the focus from restriction to inclusion. On June 26th, at the Faculty of Health Science at the University of Ottawa, Canadian and Italian experts have come together for a unique event on Positive Nutrition, an emerging approach that could reshape the way we think about healthy eating, food policy, and public health.
“For Italy, the agrifood sector is not only a cornerstone of our industry but also part of our very heritage and culture,” said the Ambassador of Italy to Ottawa, Alessandro Cattaneo, who has organized the symposium. “Our holistic approach to nutrition – he continued – emphasizes the value of a balanced, varied, and moderate diet, complemented by an active lifestyle. Given our strategic relations with Canada, reaffirmed in the recent Joint Statement issued in Kananaskis by Prime Ministers Mark Carney and Giorgia Meloni, we are eager to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation all across the health and food sectors.”
Hosted in partnership with leading universities and institutions from both countries, this event has invited stakeholders to explore a new nutrition narrative, one that prioritizes balanced, sustainable lifestyles over short-term diet fads or the demonization of individual nutrients.
Unlike traditional strategies that often focus on reducing individual nutrients, Positive Nutrition promotes dietary inclusion and supports long-term well-being through moderation, cultural relevance, and informed choices. It is inspired by successful traditional models such as the Mediterranean diet, where variety, portion balance, and lifestyle integration are central.
“Every food can have a place in a healthy diet when consumed in the appropriate portions and frequencies,” said Daniela Martini, Associated Professor in Human Nutrition at the University of Milan. “We must avoid demonizing foods and instead help people build healthy dietary patterns,” she concluded.
“One of the most common misguided paths in relation to healthy eating is to ignore that consumers do not eat ‘nutrients’, but rather they eat foods within the context of an entire diet.” said Luca Piretta, Gastroenterologist, nutritionist, and lecturer in Food Allergies and Intolerances at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. “If our attention is focused only on lipids, proteins, sugars or vitamins, forgetting that these nutrients are part of much more complete foods, it becomes impossible to define a healthy dietary program capable of preventing disease and promoting health.”
The Canadian national approach to nutrition policy has been highlighted by Professor William Yan of Health Canada, Professor at the School of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Ottawa. He remarked that “Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy is a public health initiative focused on reshaping the food environment. By using evidence-based tools and regulatory measures, we’re helping Canadians make informed, healthy choices as part of a broader lifestyle.”
Nick Bellissimo, Professor of Nutritional Physiology at the Toronto Metropolitan University, also remarked the importance of an overall approach to nutrition: “Health policies rooted in a reductionist view of nutrition, focusing on isolated nutrients rather than holistic, functional dietary patterns, are unlikely to shift the pendulum on chronic disease. Instead, they risk undermining their very purpose”.
