Innovating with AI at the PETRA Conference

The intersection of technology and nutrition is a core pillar of the DietWise project. Showcasing our technical advancements, our colleagues from the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS, Greece) participated in the PETRA Conference (Pervasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments).

The ICCS team successfully presented their latest paper, titled: “A Multi-Stage LLM Reasoning Pipeline for Personalized Dietary Ingredient Substitution at Recipe Level.” Their presentation highlighted how advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) can be leveraged to intelligently and seamlessly suggest personalized, healthier, and more sustainable ingredient swaps in everyday recipes, marking a significant step forward in our project’s technological development.

Highlighting Public Health Insights at the ASPHER Congress

Understanding the public’s current knowledge and hesitations regarding nutrition is crucial for creating effective interventions. Representing Vilnius University (VU), Donatas Austys attended the ASPHER 1st European Congress of Education and Training in Public Health.

Donatas presented key findings from DietWise’s Work Package 2 (WP2) through an insightful poster titled: “Residents’ Knowledge of Healthy Nutrition Recommendations and Ambivalence Towards Adopting Healthier and More Sustainable Habits in Nine European Countries.” This research provided attendees with a vital comparative look at how European citizens perceive dietary guidelines and the psychological friction they experience when trying to adopt greener, healthier eating habits.

Exploring Consumer Behavior at the 50th IAREP Conference

To truly transform dietary habits, we must understand the behavioral mechanisms that drive our food choices. At the 50th International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) Conference, Siegfried Dewitte (KU Leuven) and Agne Zakareviciute (AdCogito) took the stage to share highly anticipated results from the project.

The duo presented findings from the DietWise MegaStudy, a large-scale research initiative that was successfully completed this past spring. Their presentation sparked deep and valuable discussions among attendees regarding behavioral approaches to supporting healthier food choices. By focusing on advancing evidence-based interventions, the MegaStudy results are helping to pave the way for practical, real-world strategies that empower consumers to make better dietary decisions.

Looking Ahead

Our active participation in these conferences highlights the truly multidisciplinary nature of the DietWise project. By engaging with experts in computer science, public health, and behavioral science, we are not only sharing our findings but also gathering valuable feedback to refine our ongoing work.

We are incredibly proud of our team’s hard work this summer. Stay tuned to the official DietWise website and our social media channels as we continue to translate these exciting scientific findings into practical tools for a healthier, more sustainable future!