From the editor's desk

Weight management event set for Jan. 29

17-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 17-Jan-2020 at 18:44 GMT

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Weight management continues to be a category that drives the supplement industry. A webinar on Jan 29 that features a host of expert speakers will examine the latest trends in this category.

First up on the list will be Guru Ramanathan, PhD, who had a long career as director of product development at GNC. Ramanathan led this important function at GNC through the retailer’s glory years, when new products were developed at a feverish pace. Weight management was a key category for GNC at the time and it continues to be so.

Ramanathan has moved on to a private consulting role in the industry. Just as his broad experience has made him a hot commodity in the consulting game, so too will his insights be of interest to listeners of the webinar.

Tim Avila, principal in the consulting firm Systems Bioscience, will join Ramanathan on the panel. Avila has had a long career in product development consulting in the dietary supplement industry, having started with a lengthy stint at leading firm Metagenics. Avila is expert at helping companies identify and capitalize on trends before they become broadly apparent, which enables his clients beat their competitors to the starting line. Avila is involved at the moment in developing new weight management concepts, some of which he will be able to share with listeners.

Also taking part in the panel will be Hector Lopez, MD. Lopez is in expert in the scientific backing for some of the main ingredients via his role as principal/scientific adviser at the Center for Applied Health Sciences, a contract research organization based in Canfield, OH. The center does research in sports nutrition and weight management applications.

Rounding out the panel is attorney Justin Prochnow, a shareholder in the law firm Greenberg Traurig. Prochnow is one of the leading attorneys advising companies in the dietary supplement industry. He’ll discuss some of the common pitfalls for claims in this arena.

Some of issues we’ll cover are how new diet trends, such as keto diets, paleo or others, are affecting product development in this area. We’ll also look at new ingredient development, and which legacy ingredients still have legs and which seem to be falling behind.