Why Knowledge of Lifestyle and the Microbiome Is Essential
- Isolde Besseling & Astrid Kühlkamp-Kleissen
- MDL-fonds / Wageningen University & Research
“We need to learn how to maintain health, not just how to treat disease.”
According to the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), one in three people in the Netherlands will have a chronic condition by 2040. And the number is not only increasing among older people: lifestyle-related diseases are also becoming more common in young children.
“That is an enormous number,” says Isolde Besseling, Knowledge & Innovation Manager at MDL-fonds. “When you consider the important role the microbiome plays in our digestion, immune system and even brain function, it is something we can no longer ignore. We need to learn how to maintain health, not just how to treat disease.”
From research to clinical practice
Astrid Kühlkamp-Kleissen, Programme Manager at Wageningen Academy, part of Wageningen University & Research, also sees considerable room for improvement in healthcare. “Doctors receive relatively little education about nutrition and lifestyle during their training. Dietitians specialise in these areas. They know that nutrition is about more than calories and nutrients such as fibre, and that it affects the entire body. But they too need up-to-date, evidence-based knowledge about areas such as the microbiome. That is precisely where the need lies. It is the gap we want to bridge with the Preventive Health & Healthy Ageing programme.”
The programme brings together several courses that form a strong learning pathway based on the latest scientific insights and the practical experience of healthcare professionals. Participants learn how lifestyle interventions, nutrition and the microbiota are connected to conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders and brain ageing, and how to translate this knowledge into practical recommendations for their patients.
“Dietitians play a key role: they can provide lifestyle advice that helps prevent disease, while also alleviating symptoms in people with chronic conditions.”
The hidden power of the gut
MDL-fonds and the collaborative platform BuikBelang – an initiative of WUR, University Medical Center Groningen and MDL-fonds – are working to advance knowledge of the gut microbiome. “We now know that people with obesity, depression or allergies have a different gut microbiome from healthy people,” says Isolde. “The relationship can no longer be ignored. Dietitians play a key role: they can provide lifestyle advice that helps prevent disease, while also alleviating symptoms in people with chronic conditions.”
Reliable, applicable knowledge is essential to achieve this. Alongside research, BuikBelang develops practical tools for professionals, including factsheets on fibre and probiotics and a ‘gut diary’ that allows clients to track how their diet affects their symptoms.
From treating symptoms to building resilience
Astrid emphasises the importance of dietitians within multidisciplinary teams. “Dietitians work closely with patients. They have both the knowledge and the personal contact needed to discuss lifestyle changes. But if we really want them to make an impact, we need to strengthen their position within healthcare. And that starts with education and collaboration.”
Both Isolde and Astrid believe a broader shift is needed. “Healthcare is still too focused on treating disease rather than promoting health,” says Isolde. “Even though we know that nutrition and lifestyle can make a difference, including for complex conditions.” Astrid adds: “Prevention should not only begin once someone becomes ill. With the right knowledge, you can make a difference much earlier.”
For Astrid, the subject is also personal: she participated in WUR’s Geef om je buik study as a research participant. “I could literally feel the effect of eating more fibre and taking a prebiotic. Not only on bowel function, but also on my energy levels and ability to recover. It is something everyone should experience.”
“I could really feel the effect of eating more fibre and taking a prebiotic, not only on bowel function, but also on my energy and recovery.”
Translating knowledge into practice
The Preventive Health & Healthy Ageing programme is aimed at professionals working in prevention, nutrition and lifestyle within healthcare and policy; from dietitians and doctors to policymakers. Astrid concludes: “Dietitians have a crucial role to play in the shift from treating disease towards promoting health. They can translate knowledge from research into practice and, in doing so, make a real contribution to healthier ageing.”
“Dietitians have a crucial role in the shift from treating disease to promoting health. They can translate research into practice and contribute to healthier ageing.”