On April 8th, 2025, the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) hosted a webinar titled “What’s Shaping the Future of Food: Key Health and Nutrition Trends for 2025.” Experts in neuroscience, nutrition, food science, and sports performance explored how evolving science and consumer needs are shaping the future of food. Dr. Laura Collins and Dr. Zane Andrews highlighted the complex drivers behind why we eat (ranging from biological signals to social context and trends). Understanding these factors are key to designing effective, sustainable nutrition solutions.
Insights from Dr. Lisa Ryan and Dr. David Dunne on elite sport athletes demonstrate how motivation, habit, and environment influence food choices, principles that are increasingly relevant beyond athletics. The panel emphasized that while personalized nutrition tools and wearables are advancing rapidly, long-term behavior change still centers on simplicity, taste, and social reinforcement.
Healthy aging was also discussed, with growing evidence supporting the role of nutrients like protein and omega-3s in maintaining physical and cognitive function. Dr. Ryan and Dr. Andrews pointed out the unique challenges that the food industry must consider such as age-related shifts in appetite, sensory perception, and social interaction.
The rise of GLP-1 medications was also explored, with discussions around their impact on appetite, nutritional needs, social eating, and possible long-term health implications. While these therapies show promise for metabolic health and weight management, they also highlight the need for complementary strategies—such as probiotics to support GI symptoms and behavioral guidance from doctors/nutritionists to ensure sustainable outcomes.
Finally, the panel addressed the role of ultra-processed foods and reformulation. While often viewed negatively, these foods remain an important source of nutrition for many. Improving their nutritional quality through innovation in ingredients and sensory design represents a meaningful opportunity for the food industry to support public health while acknowledging necessity of ultra-processed foods.
As insights from neuroscience, sports science, technology, and food science expand further, opportunities to create sustainable nutrition solutions continue to grow. For science-led innovation to be impactful, it must be delivered in a way that fits naturally into people’s unique lives. Whether supporting healthy aging, optimizing performance, or enabling sustainable nutrition and weight management, the opportunities for the food industry will be in bridging scientific progress with everyday life.
For more on these topics and more see KHNI Health and Nutrition trends. Register to our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with these insights and more.
Contributors:
Lisa Ryan, PhD
Head of the School of Science and Computing & Head of the Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition - ATU
Dr. Lisa Ryan, a Registered Nutritionist, joined ATU in 2015 from Monash University. Lisa co-founded the Irish Concussion Research Centre and is widely published in concussion, nutrition, and functional foods, with research focusing on female rugby players and concussion management.
Laura Collins, PhD
RD&A Director - Cognitive Health - Kerry
Dr Laura Collins is the RD&A lead for Cognitive Health at Kerry. Laura completed a PhD in Immunology at Dublin City University investigating possible therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. Laura took the learnings from her PhD into her postdoctoral research for Food for Health Ireland (FHI) to identifying foods with immune-modulating capabilities.
David Dunne, PhD
Co-Founder of Hexis
David is a seasoned Performance Nutritionist with over a decade of applied experience in elite sport. David holds a PhD in Behaviour Change, Design Thinking, and Technology Innovation in Sports Nutrition from Liverpool John Moores University. He has accelerated the translation of his research to practice by co-founding Hexis, a personalised nutrition platform for human performance.
Zane Andrews, PhD
Deputy Head of the Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity Program at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Professor Andrews received his PhD in New Zealand at the University of Otago in 2003. Professor Andrews is internationally recognised for his work on the neuroendocrine control of energy homeostasis and behaviour. He is the currently Deputy Head of the Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity Program at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.
Prof. Damien P. McLoughlin
Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing - UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School
Damien McLoughlin is Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in Ireland. He has been a visiting professor of marketing several universities, with a curriculum specializing at the intersection of strategy and agribusiness. Since 2011 Damien has contributed to the Harvard Business School Agribusiness seminar, as an instructor and a researcher. Recent contributions have been C-suite case studies and has published more than seventy papers and two books on strategy and marketing issues.
