Upcoming Events
Science Symposium on ReThink Sodium: Science, Behavior, Guidance and Solutions for Public Health
28/04/2026
317 Outram Rd, Singapore
This one-day symposium convenes scientific experts and stakeholders to jointly re-think longstanding issues around sodium and health. Discussions will focus on understanding sodium consumption patterns, exploring emerging assessment methods, discussing strategies and innovative solutions, and fostering collaborative actions to achieve optimal sodium intake in the region.
| Industry (Non-ILSI SEA Region Members) | 380 SGD |
| Industry (ILSI SEA Region Members) | 330 SGD |
| Government / Academia | 280 SGD |
• Registration fees are exclusive of Eventbrite platform charges. Applicable fees will be reflected upon checkout.
• No cancellation will be allowed once the registration is confirmed. However, a substitute participant will be accepted. Click Here to Register
PROGRAM
08:00 - 08:45 hr Registration08:45 - 09:00 hr Welcome Remarks
Session 1: Understanding Sodium in the Diet 09:00 - 09:30
Sodium: State of the Science - Health, Guidelines, and Data Challenges
Prof Andrew Mente, Population Health Research Institute and Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada 09:30 - 10:00
Understanding Sodium Intake: History, Culture, and Dietary Sources
Prof Christiani Jeyakumar Henry, Global Centre for Asian Women's Health (GloW), NUS Medicine, Singapore
10:00 - 10:15 Q&A
10:15 - 10:35 Morning Refreshment Break / Networking
Session 2: Community and Public Health Approaches to Sodium Reduction 10:35 - 11:00 hr
Salt Substitution for Cardiovascular Health Promotion at Population Level
Prof Yangfeng Wu, Peking University Clinical Research Institute, China 11:00 - 11:20 hr
Salt Preference: Sensory and Behavioral Drivers of Salt Use and Sodium Reduction
Speaker TBC
11:20 - 11:40 hr
Flavour Enhancer and Educational Strategies for Better Sodium Reduction
Speaker TBC
11:40 - 12:00 hr Q&A
12:00 - 12:45 hrNational Sodium Reduction Initiatives: Country Examples
Speaker/s TBC
12:45 - 13:00 hr Q&A
13:00 - 14:15 hr Lunch Break / Networking
Session 3: Industry and Innovative Solutions 14:15 - 14:35 hr
Guidance and Innovations for Industry on Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals
Dr Diane Mendoza-Sarmiento, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines 14:35 - 15:20 hr
Navigating Reformulation of Lower-Sodium Products: Industry Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways
Speakers TBC
15:20 - 15:40 Q&A
15:40 - 16:00 Afternoon Refreshment Break / Networking
Panel Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities for Multi-stakeholder Approach to Sodium Reduction 16:00 - 16:45 hr
Panel Discussion - Advancing Sodium Reduction: Strategies for Implementation and Impact
Panelists TBC
16:45 - 17:00 hr Closing Remarks
End of Symposium
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Prof Andrew Mente
Population Health Research Institute and Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada
Prof Christiani Jeyakumar Henry
Global Centre for Asian Women's Health (GloW), NUS Medicine, Singapore
Prof. Jeyakumar Henry is currently Senior Advisor, at GloW, National University of Singapore. He trained as a Nutritionist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and was the founding Director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, A*STAR, Singapore (2011-2023), and first Director of Functional Food Centre in Oxford, UK. He was a Board member of UK Food Standards Agency, and served as a consultant to UNICEF, FAO, WHO, on International Nutrition. His work on energy metabolism led to the development of the Henry Equation to predict basal metabolic rate that is used worldwide. He has been active in developing novel foods and ingredients to improve human health worldwide. He was made a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Scientists and Technologists (2012), Fellow of the British Nutrition Society (2022), and Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (2024) - the highest award in Human Nutritional science.
Dr Diane Mendoza-Sarmiento
University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Dr Diane S. Mendoza-Sarmiento is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the College of Education, University of Santo Tomas, where she also serves as Nutrition Clinic Coordinator and researcher at the Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences. She earned her PhD in Health Research from the University of Santo Tomas as a DOST-SEI scholar and DA-PhilRice fellowship awardee, with doctoral research examining the role of pigmented rice in reducing cardiometabolic risks.
She is active in professional organizations, previously served as a Board Member of the Philippine Association of Nutrition in 2020-2021 and 2024-2025, and currently Secretary of the Philippine Stakeholders of Nutritionist-Dietitians. She is also an associate member of the National Research Council of the Philippines.
Prof Yangfeng Wu
Peking University Clinical Research Institute, China
Prof Yangfeng Wu is a Professor of Epidemiology and Sciences in Clinical Research at the School of Public Health and the Clinical Research Institute of the Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University. He has successively presided over dozens of scientific research projects and has published over 440 papers in domestic and international medical journals, and has edited and co-edited 21 monographs in Chinese and English. He led the development of China's first cardiovascular disease risk prediction model and chaired the formulation of the "Practical Guidelines for Primary Hypertension Prevention and Treatment" and the "Chinese Guidelines on Low-Sodium Salt Use and Promotion ". He has received numerous honors, including the Ministry of Health Science and Technology Progress Award, Wu Jie Ping Medical Research Award - Paul Janssen Pharmaceutical Award, Paul Dudley White International Lecture at AHA Scientific Sessions 2012, and many others. He has served as the Director of the World Health Organization's Cardiovascular Disease Training and Cooperation Center (Beijing), the Director of The George Institute for Global Health, China and an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Medicine. His main research focuses on the effective strategies for prevention and control of major chronic diseases.
Stay tuned for more eminent speakers!
ORGANIZER
CONTACT
If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us through:
ILSI Southeast Asia Region18 Mohamed Sultan Road #03-01 Singapore 238967
Tel: 65 6352 5220
Email: event@ilsisea.org.sg [post_title] => Science Symposium on ReThink Sodium: Science, Behavior, Guidance and Solutions for Public Health [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => rethink-sodium-2026 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-03 05:32:33 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-03 05:32:33 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://ilsisea-region.org/?post_type=event&p=30986 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => event [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 1 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 30986 [post_author] => 353 [post_date] => 2026-01-29 04:06:32 [post_date_gmt] => 2026-01-29 04:06:32 [post_content] =>
REGISTRATION
The following are the registration rates for this IN-PERSON Symposium:
| Industry (Non-ILSI SEA Region Members) | 380 SGD |
| Industry (ILSI SEA Region Members) | 330 SGD |
| Government / Academia | 280 SGD |
• Registration fees are exclusive of Eventbrite platform charges. Applicable fees will be reflected upon checkout.
• No cancellation will be allowed once the registration is confirmed. However, a substitute participant will be accepted. Click Here to Register
PROGRAM
08:00 - 08:45 hr Registration08:45 - 09:00 hr Welcome Remarks
Session 1: Understanding Sodium in the Diet 09:00 - 09:30
Sodium: State of the Science - Health, Guidelines, and Data Challenges
Prof Andrew Mente, Population Health Research Institute and Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada 09:30 - 10:00
Understanding Sodium Intake: History, Culture, and Dietary Sources
Prof Christiani Jeyakumar Henry, Global Centre for Asian Women's Health (GloW), NUS Medicine, Singapore
10:00 - 10:15 Q&A
10:15 - 10:35 Morning Refreshment Break / Networking
Session 2: Community and Public Health Approaches to Sodium Reduction 10:35 - 11:00 hr
Salt Substitution for Cardiovascular Health Promotion at Population Level
Prof Yangfeng Wu, Peking University Clinical Research Institute, China 11:00 - 11:20 hr
Salt Preference: Sensory and Behavioral Drivers of Salt Use and Sodium Reduction
Speaker TBC
11:20 - 11:40 hr
Flavour Enhancer and Educational Strategies for Better Sodium Reduction
Speaker TBC
11:40 - 12:00 hr Q&A
12:00 - 12:45 hrNational Sodium Reduction Initiatives: Country Examples
Speaker/s TBC
12:45 - 13:00 hr Q&A
13:00 - 14:15 hr Lunch Break / Networking
Session 3: Industry and Innovative Solutions 14:15 - 14:35 hr
Guidance and Innovations for Industry on Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals
Dr Diane Mendoza-Sarmiento, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines 14:35 - 15:20 hr
Navigating Reformulation of Lower-Sodium Products: Industry Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways
Speakers TBC
15:20 - 15:40 Q&A
15:40 - 16:00 Afternoon Refreshment Break / Networking
Panel Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities for Multi-stakeholder Approach to Sodium Reduction 16:00 - 16:45 hr
Panel Discussion - Advancing Sodium Reduction: Strategies for Implementation and Impact
Panelists TBC
16:45 - 17:00 hr Closing Remarks
End of Symposium
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Prof Andrew Mente
Population Health Research Institute and Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Canada
Prof Christiani Jeyakumar Henry
Global Centre for Asian Women's Health (GloW), NUS Medicine, Singapore
Prof. Jeyakumar Henry is currently Senior Advisor, at GloW, National University of Singapore. He trained as a Nutritionist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and was the founding Director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, A*STAR, Singapore (2011-2023), and first Director of Functional Food Centre in Oxford, UK. He was a Board member of UK Food Standards Agency, and served as a consultant to UNICEF, FAO, WHO, on International Nutrition. His work on energy metabolism led to the development of the Henry Equation to predict basal metabolic rate that is used worldwide. He has been active in developing novel foods and ingredients to improve human health worldwide. He was made a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Scientists and Technologists (2012), Fellow of the British Nutrition Society (2022), and Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (2024) - the highest award in Human Nutritional science.
Dr Diane Mendoza-Sarmiento
University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Dr Diane S. Mendoza-Sarmiento is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the College of Education, University of Santo Tomas, where she also serves as Nutrition Clinic Coordinator and researcher at the Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences. She earned her PhD in Health Research from the University of Santo Tomas as a DOST-SEI scholar and DA-PhilRice fellowship awardee, with doctoral research examining the role of pigmented rice in reducing cardiometabolic risks.
She is active in professional organizations, previously served as a Board Member of the Philippine Association of Nutrition in 2020-2021 and 2024-2025, and currently Secretary of the Philippine Stakeholders of Nutritionist-Dietitians. She is also an associate member of the National Research Council of the Philippines.
Prof Yangfeng Wu
Peking University Clinical Research Institute, China
Prof Yangfeng Wu is a Professor of Epidemiology and Sciences in Clinical Research at the School of Public Health and the Clinical Research Institute of the Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University. He has successively presided over dozens of scientific research projects and has published over 440 papers in domestic and international medical journals, and has edited and co-edited 21 monographs in Chinese and English. He led the development of China's first cardiovascular disease risk prediction model and chaired the formulation of the "Practical Guidelines for Primary Hypertension Prevention and Treatment" and the "Chinese Guidelines on Low-Sodium Salt Use and Promotion ". He has received numerous honors, including the Ministry of Health Science and Technology Progress Award, Wu Jie Ping Medical Research Award - Paul Janssen Pharmaceutical Award, Paul Dudley White International Lecture at AHA Scientific Sessions 2012, and many others. He has served as the Director of the World Health Organization's Cardiovascular Disease Training and Cooperation Center (Beijing), the Director of The George Institute for Global Health, China and an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Medicine. His main research focuses on the effective strategies for prevention and control of major chronic diseases.
Stay tuned for more eminent speakers!
ORGANIZER
CONTACT
If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us through:
ILSI Southeast Asia Region18 Mohamed Sultan Road #03-01 Singapore 238967
Tel: 65 6352 5220
Email: event@ilsisea.org.sg [post_title] => Science Symposium on ReThink Sodium: Science, Behavior, Guidance and Solutions for Public Health [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => rethink-sodium-2026 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-03 05:32:33 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-03 05:32:33 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://ilsisea-region.org/?post_type=event&p=30986 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => event [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 1 [max_num_pages] => 1 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => [is_tag] => [is_tax] => [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => 1 [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => 20978c9e9405d9582b66411be6c1b318 [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) [query_cache_key:WP_Query:private] => wp_query:6914ee58e0479a1dc98495caeb720d80:0.22414100 1772799415 )