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<\/a>It is this approach that has guided all her research work, which in turn has caused nutrition studies to evolve from concern about nutritional deficiencies to addressing the causes and consequences of changing eating habits in industrialized countries.\u00a0This situation, paradoxically generated by economic development and technological advances, has led to an increase in the prevalence of diseases that have not only physiological and genetic causes, but also environmental ones, such as food and physical activity, and which represent a significant cost in human, social and economic terms. As Gal\u00e1n pointed out during her inauguration speech, “in Spain, 4 out of 10 children aged 6 to 9 are overweight” and in France “the direct and indirect costs attributable to cardiovascular disease are estimated to be 29 billion euros a year”.<\/p>\n
Hence the importance of her research and its influence on public health policies.\u00a0During the investiture speech, Gal\u00e1n looked back at the studies that she has led or participated in and that have had the greatest impact in terms of public health, one of which was the SU.VI.MAX, which followed 13,000 participants for 8 years and showed how the daily consumption of antioxidant vitamins and minerals found in fruit and vegetables reduced the risk of chronic diseases (31% risk of cancer) and mortality (37%).\u00a0This in turn led to the advice for the general population to consume at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day.<\/p>\n The NutriNet-Sant\u00e9 cohort was launched in 2009 with more than 170,000 volunteers and has made it possible to study the relationship between the consumption of organic and ultra-processed foods and diseases and the effectiveness of public health actions such as nutritional labelling and recording of sugary drinks.\u00a0This led to the nutritional logo Nutri-Score, which has already been implemented in 7 countries and is located on the front of food products to translate the nutritional content of food into a visual language and thus help consumers make a healthier shopping choices and pressure companies to improve the transparency and nutritional value of their products.<\/p>\n Gal\u00e1n is a strong supporter of this logo, which has been criticised by pressure groups in the agri-food sector.\u00a0Her response, however, is that \u201cscience is the best answer when pressure groups try to obstruct public health actions.\u00a0It is clear that when devising public health policies, politicians must base their decisions only on conclusive scientific data.\u00a0Researchers must fight to impose this way of guiding public policy”, she concluded.<\/p>\n Gal\u00e1n is a leading figure in nutritional epidemiology and has helped blaze the trail followed by many scientists after her, alongside Serge Hecberg, her professional and life partner, to whom she directed an emotional aside.\u00a0It was as leaders in their field that they established the scientific relationship with the Human Nutrition Unit of the URV, headed by Jordi Salas-Salvad\u00f3. As her sponsor for the honorary doctorate, he highlighted the key role Gal\u00e1n has played in his discipline by promoting projects such as the biobank of the NUTRINET-Sant\u00e9 study, \u201cwhich contains no fewer than a million biological samples which will help us to understand, in the future, the mechanisms that exist in the associations that her work has demonstrated\u201d.<\/p>\n The rector, Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Figueras, added that Pilar Gal\u00e1n \u201cis an important example for our University not only for her ability to revolutionize nutritional epidemiology, but also for her ability to transfer her knowledge to the community”.\u00a0Gal\u00e1n has increased the recognition of the team of researchers who have worked with her over time.<\/p>\n To mark the new doctor\u2019s acceptance into the scientific community of the URV, the rector presented Gal\u00e1n with her honorary doctoral degree certificate, her medal and her biretta, along with the objects that commonly accompany the distinction, namely the book of science and wisdom, the ring symbolising the privilege of being able to stamp scientific and professional findings, and the white gloves.<\/p>\n<\/a>Promoter of Nutri-Score labeling<\/h5>\n
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