European Chapter of the American College of Nutrition
The European Chapter of the American College of Nutrition is comprised of European scientists and clinicians interested in research and clinical aspects of nutrition. There are many societies in Europe in the nutrition field, such as ESPEN and various national societies for enteral and parenteral nutrition. Other societies, such as EASD, EASO, the European Society of Pediatrics, etc., are also concerned with metabolic alterations in disease. However, there is no society in Europe devoted strictly to the study of nutrition and its metabolic implications from both basic and clinical viewpoints.
The aim of the European Chapter of the American College of Nutrition is to create an opportunity for faculty and students in the basic health sciences, clinical departments, and in public health to better understand the relationships between nutrition, metabolism and human health. Important questions relating nutrition and human health at the interface of basic and clinical sciences, public health, and the environmental health sciences need to be addressed using integrative approaches.
Additionally, the founding of a chapter of ACN in Europe provides the opportunity to create a closer relationship and exchange of ideas between American and European scientists. At the same time, all persons interested in nutrition from the professional point of view are welcome, providing a broad coverage of nutrition science and practice, as does the ACN in the United States.
The first business and scientific meeting of the European Chapter was held in Rome, Italy on November 30 and December 1, 2001 at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. Approximately 50 charter members representing 12 nations attended. During the business meeting, the by-laws developed jointly by Dr. Geltrude Mingrone, Dr. Sohrab Mobarhan, (ACN President at the time) and Dr. Stanley Wallach, (ACN Executive Director) were proposed and accepted.
Elections resulted in the following officer slate:
President: Dr. John Nolan (Ireland)
President-Elect: Dr. Michel Pugeat (France)
Past-President: Dr. Giovanni Gasbarrini (Italy)
Secretary/Treasurer: Dr. Menotti Calvani (Italy)
Executive Director: Dr. Geltrude Mingrone (Italy)
Board of Directors: Drs. Beck-Nielsen, De Gaetano, De Lorenzo, Gentile, Greco, Mari, Ramadori, Serrano-Rios, Szamosi, and Testolin.
The scientific session included presentations by Drs. Beck-Nielsen (Denmark), Bertuzzi (Italy), Breslin (Ireland), Calvani (Italy), De Gaetano (Italy), De Lorenzo (Italy), Ferrannini (Italy), Farre-Rovira (Spain), Giovannini (Italy), Maseri (Italy), Mingrone (Italy), Nolan (Ireland), Pugeat (France), Ramadori (Germany), Serrano-Rios (Spain), Sidossis (Greece), Testolin (Italy), Van Holder (Belgium).
The topics covered included the nutritional aspects of end-stage renal disease, syndrome X, lipid metabolism, carnitine metabolism, gene expression in nutrition, dietary treatment of inborn errors of metabolism, coeliac disease, vitamins and antioxidants, body composition, glucose metabolism in obesity, diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance.
The second scientific meeting of the European Chapter will be organized by Dr. Sidossis in Athens, November 15 and 16, 2002 (http://ecacn.hellenicvision.gr/). The meeting of the Board of Directors will take place the day before (November 14th) in the early afternoon. The program will be available at this website.
An additional special meeting on insulin resistance will take place in Rome on December 7th, 2002 organized by Dr. G. Mingrone.
The third scientific meeting of the European Chapter will be held in Lyon in conjunction with the Congress of the European Federation of the Endocrine Society (EFES) in April 2003 and will be organized by Dr. Pugeat.
The fourth scientific meeting of the European Chapter will be organized by Dr. M. Giovannini in Milan (Italy) in November 2003.
A detailed web site for the European Chapter is at the following address: www.nutrition-europe.org.
Address inquiries regarding membership, attendance, and program to:
Dr. Geltrude Mingrone
Catholic University, School of Medicine
Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy 00168
Phone: 06 540 0000 Fax: 06 541 4141 Email: gmingrone@rm.unicatt.it