How can healthy nutrition become more accessible, precise, and better aligned with the needs of local communities? This question was at the heart of NutrIX 2026 — the International Conference on Intelligent Nutrition and Food Systems for Personalized Healthcare, held on September 17–19 at Өnergy Creative Hub in Astana.
Hosted by Nazarbayev University, the conference brought together more than 20 international experts from the United States, Singapore, Italy, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Thailand, as well as representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Researchers, clinicians, and experts in nutrition, medicine, public health, data analytics, technology, and food systems, alongside students and representatives of government institutions, discussed how contemporary research and digital tools can shape new approaches to nutrition and disease prevention.
Particular attention was given to making scientific knowledge applicable to the realities of Central Asia. Against a backdrop of abundant information about nutrition and health on social media, participants highlighted the importance of evidence-based approaches, high-quality data, and collaboration between science, healthcare, government, and industry.
“We started this conference with a very simple but ambitious question: how do we make healthy nutrition accessible, more precise for our population’s specific needs, and at the same time more sustainable in light of the current challenges facing food systems and climate change?” said Dr. Mei-Yen Chan, Professor at the School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, and Head of the Food Lab at Өnergy Creative Hub.
The discussions also addressed Kazakhstan’s current priorities in nutrition and disease prevention. Vitalii Koikov, Adviser to the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan, identified excessive salt consumption as one of the country’s key nutrition challenges and stressed the need to create a healthier food environment, particularly for children.
Kazakhstan is already implementing a new standard for educational organisations aimed at reducing the amount of sugar and salt in school meals and increasing the share of vegetables, fruit, and dairy products. Participants at NutrIX 2026 noted that further progress in this area requires more precise data on dietary patterns and the use of modern tools — from artificial intelligence and big data analytics to digital solutions for nutrition.
One such solution is the first digital food atlas in Central Asia, developed by the Central Asia Food Innovation Lab at Nazarbayev University. The new resource provides a foundation for more detailed research into dietary patterns and for developing nutrition approaches that take into account the specific characteristics of local populations.
Another outcome of the conference was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Nazarbayev University and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. The parties intend to develop cooperation in areas including burden of disease assessment, forecasting, intervention analysis, and capacity building in health metrics. The agreement also provides opportunities for joint research and publications, educational and outreach initiatives, mentorship programmes, and technical training.
NutrIX 2026 thus became a platform for bringing different disciplines together around a shared goal: using research, technology, and data to develop more precise, sustainable, and locally relevant approaches to nutrition and health.
NU Impact Foundation supported the inaugural NutrIX conference at Nazarbayev University. The conference was held at Өnergy Creative Hub, an innovation and creative hub in Astana.
For the Foundation, supporting initiatives like NutrIX is an investment in research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration that can help turn scientific knowledge and emerging technologies into solutions with tangible social impact.