We are thrilled to announce that this November, the Nutrition Network will host the World Nutrition Summit (WNS) – Addiction Symposium – a global, virtual event focusing on understanding and managing sugar and processed food addiction.  

As obesity rates continue to climb, the notion that overconsumption of processed foods reflects an underlying food addiction crisis has recently come to the forefront. An increase of focus on this topic, that sugar acts as an addictive agent eliciting neurobiological changes similar to those seen in drug addiction, has led to emerging science that establishes a clear link between processed sugars and carbohydrates and the addictive pathways of the brain. 

Consuming palatable sugar-laden or processed foods, or foods that are high in carbohydrates, sugar, or artificial sweeteners, triggers the pleasure centers of the brain and releases “feel-good” chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin, which are similar to addictive drugs. These chemicals create the need for more of the pleasure-seeking substance which is classified as an addiction.

Sugar and processed food addiction affects every age, class and creed globally and has had devastating effects on community health and in turn – global health. This is a global health emergency that the Addiction Symposium has identified as paramount to addressing.

The Addiction Symposium will bring together world-renowned leaders on one virtual stage focused on understanding, managing, and dealing with sugar and food addiction. Secure your ticket here!

The renowned speaker line-up includes Dr. Robert Cywes, a Pediatric Surgeon with a special interest in Keto/LCHF Metabolic Management.  Dr. Cywes will be speaking on ‘Using addiction management principles to treat carbohydrate addiction and how it differs from a diet’.

Joan Ifland PhD, MBA, FACN, and CEO of Food Addiction Reset, is an innovator and global leader in food addiction recovery programs and is a lead author and editor of the textbook, Processed Food Addiction. Dr. Ifland’s topic is ‘The treatment match for processed food addiction.’

Dr. Jen Unwin is a Clinical Psychologist. She has teamed up with top clinicians in the book Fork in the road. Dr. Unwin will be reporting the outcomes of a  three country audit of a low-carb online group program with education and support for people with food addiction which includes a simple clinic screening tool-CRAVED that will be useful to clinicians.

Bitten Jonsson, a Registered Nurse, and Addiction Specialist will discuss ‘How to bring addiction up with a scared client’ and will expand on the screening, assessment, and diagnostics needed in order to create the best treatment plan or outcome.

Dr. Ignacio Cuaranta is a Clinical Psychiatrist from Argentina. He has a special interest in approaches that consider food and its effect on the human body. 

Daniel Scher is a Clinical Psychologist with special interests in neuropsychology and diabetes-focussed interventions. He has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years and practices online and from Cape Town.  Daniel will elaborate more on ‘Improving self-regulatory strategies in clients with sugar addiction’

Victoria Webster has completed her Masters’s degree in Clinical Psychology.  She has worked in a rehabilitation center in Cape Town specializing in alcohol, drug, and sugar addiction. Victoria will elaborate on ‘ Not a bad person getting good, but a sick person getting better: Understanding the psychological experience of sugar addicts in early recovery’

Karen Thomson is the founder of Sugar-Free Revolution and Super Sexy Sobriety, an advocate of healthy eating, and a health + wellness advocate committed to helping women heal their relationship with food and their bodies from the inside out and the driving force behind The Sugar-Free Revolution movement. She will expand on ‘From the darkness of addiction to the light of recovery’.

This WNS – Addiction Symposium is imperative for medical practitioners and coaches to understand and recognize sugar and food addiction in their patients or clients, and to have the knowledge and the tools to effectively transition them back to health. 

After this event, you will:

•  Understand addiction and sugar addiction’s role in metabolic disease

•  Understand addiction as a disease concept
•  Understand the use of sugar as a gateway drug
•  Understand addiction as a mechanical disorder of the brain
•  Know how to identify and overcome addiction
• Know what remission and treatment looks like in medical practice
• Become familiar with how to use addiction management principles to treat carb addiction: how it differs from a diet
• Know how to bring addiction up with a scared client and screening, assessment, and diagnostics in order to create the best treatment plan or outcome
• Implement useful findings from  the outcome of a three-country audit of a low-carb online group program with education and support for people with food addiction which includes a simple clinic screening tool craved which is useful to clinicians
• Understand the treatment match for processed food addiction

Over and above these key takeaways there will be a panel discussion with esteemed medical experts from our Nutritional Network medical team, including:

Professor Tim Noakes, Dr. Hassina Kajee, Dr. Neville Wellington, and our host Jayne Bullen, Managing Director of the Nutrition Network and Chief Operating Officer of The Noakes Foundation.

This World Nutrition Summit – Addiction Symposium half-day event is virtual and can be viewed in the comfort of your own home or office. Nutrition Network members who have purchased the Elite Membership package via the Community Platform will have automatic access to the Addiction Symposium.

Date: 3 November 2022

Price: Early Bird ticket Price $45 or $65 – Full price

This not to be missed event is available now at an Early Bird Price of $45, or the Full price of $65. Secure your ticket here!