Scientific research is a fundamental pillar for the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Thanks to the systematic analysis of data and evidence, it is possible to gain an in-depth understanding of the link between diet, health and sustainability; offering people tools to improve their quality of life.
In this article, we explore the impact and role of research in promoting healthy lifestyles and enhancing Mediterranean diet habits.
The Mediterranean Diet: a healthy and recognised model
Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the Mediterranean diet is more than just a way of eating. It emphasizes fresh, whole foods like cereals, vegetables, pulses, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and fish, with decades of research confirming its health benefits.
Proven Health Benefits:
- Non-communicable diseases prevention: studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Environmental Sustainability: studies confirm the Mediterranean diet’s low environmental impact, aligning it with global sustainability goals.
Scientific research as the key to healthy lifestyles – Why is it crucial?
Today, the world faces nutritional and food security challenges. Millions of people suffer from malnutrition, a condition that can be identified either as a deficiency or an excess of energy and nutrient intake.
Not even the most developed countries are unaffected, where an unbalanced diet contributes to an increase in diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
In the meantime, the sustainability of production processes has an important role in those challenges. Indeed, food production is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity and soil degradation.
At the same time, food waste has reached alarming levels: according to the Waste Index Report 2021 of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019, 61% of which came from households.
These critical issues make it clear that the global food model needs radical transformation, and this is where scientific research comes in.
Through the study of eating habits, the creation of new healthy foods and the design of educational tools able to enhance population awareness, science can provide concrete answers to complex problems.
Tool4MEDLife’s contribution
Scientific research is not only a tool for analysing the present, but also for building a healthier and more sustainable food future. Multidisciplinary research projects such as Tool4MEDLife demonstrate the importance of integrating scientific approaches to address public health challenges.
The project studies the eating habits of the Mediterranean population, analysing factors such as age, education level and socio-economic status to better understand the barriers to adopting the Mediterranean diet.
An innovative aspect of the project is the focus on sustainability and food waste reduction. The project aims to design new foods and transform food waste into beneficial ingredients that respect the environment and improve consumer health.
Conclusions
Promoting healthy lifestyles means also investing in research and development, and supporting innovative approaches that combine health and sustainability.
The Mediterranean Diet has been widely described to positively affect health status.
However, in recent years, a shift toward a Western dietary pattern has been reported because of cultural and social changes with unsustainable food consumption patterns both from the health and environmental perspectives. Thus, investigating and developing new strategies to increase people’s adherence to Mediterranean Diet principles represent a key tool to face these challenges.
Scientific sources
- United Nations Environment Programme (2021). Food Waste Index Report 2021. Nairobi.
- Bach-Faig, A., et al. (2011). Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates. Public health nutrition, 14(12A), 2274-2284
- Dinu, M., et al. (2020). Effects of Popular Diets on Anthropometric and Cardiometabolic Parameters: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 11(4), 815–833.
NB: The content of this article represents the view of the Tool4MEDLife project only and is its sole responsibility. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.