​The Discovery Vitality Summit brings the world’s foremost experts on health and wellness to South Africa

The greatest minds on the most important issues – don’t miss the 2015 Vitality Summit

Now in it’s third year, the Discovery Vitality Summit will once again deliver the world’s foremost experts on health and wellness to the South African public. This year’s speakers include global thought leaders in the areas of nutrition, sport, ageing, wearable technologies and peak performance.

Dr Craig Nossel, head of Vitality Wellness says, “We’re incredibly excited about the calibre of the speakers that we will be hosting at the Vitality Summit this year. Each session will provide the audience with the latest cutting edge thinking in a variety of topics from the future of medicine to sport at the highest level. The speakers will challenge conventional thinking, explore recent advancements and push traditional boundaries.”

This year’s headline speaker is former world number one tennis star Boris Becker, whose renowned strategic ability has also earned him recognition as coach and mentor to nine-time Grand Slam title winner, Novak Djokovic.

The event will also feature one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2007 and 2008, Dr Craig Venter, who has been exclusively video interviewed about the latest genomic advances in the field of healthy ageing. Renowned as the first person to sequence the human genome, Dr Venter expands on his work in genomics, which have led to advances in the identification, treatment and potential prevention of the onset of non-communicable diseases.

As the public become more concerned about what dietary advice they should follow for good health, messages about nutrition become increasingly conflated. To address this issue, the Vitality Summit convenes a panel of highly qualified experts, including the author of A Big Fat Crisis: The Hidden Influences Behind the Obesity Epidemic and How We Can End It Deborah Cohen, award-winning developer of the smart phone app FoodSwitch Dr Elizabeth Dunford, and Sam Kass, former White House Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition.

The Summit is also brimming with international sporting talent and experts in peak performance across a range of disciplines, from cycling and running, to tennis and football.

CEO of Liverpool Football Club Ian Ayre, former England defender and football manager John Barnes, and former Liverpool and England captain Phil Thompson will sit down to discuss the challenges and opportunities on and off the field.

“I’m delighted to be participating in the Vitality Summit and hearing the very latest from some of the world’s leading thinkers, expert minds and game changers in the world of health, sport and wellness,” Ayre says. “Sport and football is changing at a pace with new advances that are truly breaking new ground and conferences such as this really bring speakers together who not only challenge thinking but push boundaries. I’m very much looking forward to the Liverpool panel with John Barnes and Phil Thompson when we will be debating taking success from the field to the boardroom.”

Professor Wayne Derman of the Stellenbosch Research Unit for Sports Science and Sports Medicine, and Dr Carol Austin, director of health and performance of Team MTN-Qhubeka will join Lindsey Parry, official Comrades Marathon and South African National Triathlon coach, to discuss the support structures necessary for an athlete to achieve sporting success.

“In our debut Tour de France 2015 we showcased Africa’s cycling talent and potential,” says Dr Carol Austin. “The stellar performance of the team is the product of a 10-year vision and progressive investment in world class infrastructure, services and opportunities that have advanced African athletes to be competitive not only at a national but world tour level. I look forward to sharing our ’secrets to success' at the Vitality Summit."

As technologies make collecting personal data more accessible, fitness and health-tracking devices are becoming a more competitive landscape. Co-founder, chief technology officer and executive officer of recently listed Fitbit, Eric Friedman, will speak to the ever-growing popularity and importance of wearable technologies.

The line-up of speakers at this year’s Discovery Vitality Summit represent global experts in their fields, and the work they will be presenting is cutting edge.

The 2015 Summit will be hosted at a specially constructed dome at the Wanderer’s Club in Illovo on 6 August. Tickets are limited; book online at www.vitalitysummit.com.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The Discovery Vitality Summit is a holistic wellness summit that targets a range of practitioners in the wellness space, namely: dieticians, biokinetists, physiotherapists, sports doctors and nutritionists, coaches, academics and researchers, as well as doctors, business people and entrepreneurs.

Media seeking accreditation should please visit: http://www.vitalitysummit.com/summitmedia/

For any other queries please contact:

Taryn Kerr

Email: tarynke@discovery.co.za

Mobile: 082 780 9185