On Monday, August 25, many interested scientists and nutrition experts joined us for the session “VEGANScreener – Web-based diet quality assessment for plant-based diets.” The enthusiastic participation underscored the global interest in tools to evaluate the quality of vegan diets.
The session was chaired by Dr. Isabelle Herter-Aeberli and Dr. Joyce Haddad, who guided the audience through a dynamic set of presentations:
- Prof. Leonie Bogl and Dr. Selma Kronsteiner Gicevic introduced the VEGANScreener project and its relevance for nutrition research and prevention.
- Dr. Selma Kronsteiner Gicevic presented validation results comparing VEGANScreener scores against detailed dietary records and biomarker data.
- Dr. Estefania Dieguez Castillo discussed diet patterns, nutritional status, and metabolic health in European vegans.
- Prof. Maira Bes-Rastrollo explored wellbeing and flourishing among vegans.
- Dr. Leonie Bogl highlighted the role of choline intake and its associations with wellbeing and depressive symptoms.
- Dr. Isabelle Herter-Aeberli reported on omega-3 fatty acid intake and status in relation to wellbeing and sleep.
The session concluded with a lively interactive discussion, reflecting the strong appetite for innovative, evidence-based approaches to diet quality assessment. Importantly, the symposium also fostered new collaborations and ideas for follow-up projects that will advance research on plant-based diets and precision nutrition.
We extend our sincere thanks to all presenters, chairs, and participants who helped make this symposium a highlight of ICN 2025. We look forward to continuing this dialogue and building on the momentum to bring the VEGANScreener into wider use in research, practice, and policy.