Eating with pleasure… eating righ. An open and multidisciplinary dialogue

6th May 2026 – A reflection on the relationship between diet, health and lifestyle in the light of the latest scientific evidence and cultural transformations

Over the last hundred years, the science of nutrition has made extraordinary progress, offering increasingly sophisticated tools to understand the bond between diet and health. However, such advances have not always been matched by an equally effective dissemination of healthy eating habits.

There are several interconnected causes for that: difficulties in gathering and applying reliable nutritional knowledge; environmental contexts that do not encourage informed decisions; psychological, emotional and socio-cultural influences; prevalence of unbalanced dietary patterns and food of poor nutritional quality. Furthermore, contradictory or misleading messages are often conveyed, which promote extreme diets or unrealistic expectations on body image.

Even scientifically-validated models, such as the Mediterranean diet, are sometimes subject to distorted interpretations, impacted by ideological views or extreme simplifications. Against this backdrop, it is increasingly necessary to promote a balanced food culture that successfully combines health, taste and quality of life. With this aim in mind, Fondazione Invernizzi has organised the event “Mangiare con gusto, mangiare il giusto”, an opportunity for open, multidisciplinary conversation to explore the right approach to food: “right” for being geared towards protecting health, in both the short and long term, but also capable of enhancing the pleasure of eating and the social side of dining.

Programme

4.30 pm – Introduction to the topic
Giuseppe Bertoni, President of Fondazione Invernizzi

4.40 pm – What we ate and what made us ill: 2,000 years of history through skeletons
Mirko Mattia, Anthropologist and curator of CAL and MUSA, UNIMI

5.05 pm – The Mediterranean diet: a tool for health protection
Francesco Sofi, Professor of Food Science, Doctor and Nutritionist, UNIFI

5.30 pm – Overeating and unbalanced diet: nutrition and obesity (connected remotely)
Simona Bertoli, Dietitian, UNIMI

5.55 pm – Guidelines for healthy eating: today and tomorrow
Laura Rossi, Head of the Department of Food, Nutrition and Health, ISS

6.20 pm - Q&A

The event ended with a guided tasting led by Daniele Nucci – dietitian and expert in culinary medicine – who explored the relationship between taste and health, examining the themes of food pairings and balanced portions.

The event was moderated by Margherita Dall’Asta, Professor of Human Nutrition, UNICATT.

The initiative was held in person and was live streamed