Share
The Olive Health Information System website
The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
In this week’s newsletter, we discuss a few key points regarding the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and its effects on human health and the environment. The MedDiet is characterized as a healthy eating pattern that emphasizes a high consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole foods, and extra virgin olive oil, while lowering the consumption of processed foods and high-fat meats. Despite a wide body of evidence supporting its health benefits, there is a global nutritional shift toward a rise in consumption of ultraprocessed foods, particularly in North America and Australia. Younger populations tend to consume more highly processed foods than older adult populations. Culinary skills play a significant role in the quality of nutrition and adherence to the MedDiet: a higher culinary dominance is linked to a higher consumption of homemade dishes, better diet quality, and a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, there has been little research on culinary skills by the scientific community, and more research is needed to understand their impact on eating habits and health outcomes.
A recent study has assessed the relationship between MedDiet adherence, mindful eating, environmental beliefs, and childhood obesity and found that higher adherence to the MedDiet was associated with higher environmental beliefs and conscientious eating. The study emphasizes how important it is to support healthy weight maintenance and sustainability by promoting sustainable eating models and raising children’s awareness of environmental issues.
Although the advantages of plant-based diets for human health are widely recognized, there is a need for further understanding of their mechanisms of action and individualized responses. An enhanced comprehension of the relationship between nutrition, health outcomes, and biological pathways can be gained through omics-based approaches. The relationship between specific metabolites and following a plant-based diet is demonstrated through metabolomic analysis. The application of interdisciplinary approaches and omics-based methodologies can improve the validity of scientific results and bring about promising insights on the influence of nutrition on overall health.
Click HERE to see the latest posts…
