Autor(es): Santos, Mariana ; Assunção, Ricardo
Data: 2025
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/10517
Origem: Repositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de Saúde
Assunto(s): Diet; Dietary recommendations; Eating behavior; Food composition; Food preferences; Food choice; Healthy eating; Nutrition; Health impact of foods; Segurança Alimentar; Composição dos Alimentos; Nutrição Aplicada; Escolhas alimentares; Avaliação do Risco; Saúde Pública
Maintaining a healthy diet throughout life helps prevent all forms of malnutrition, thereby reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related conditions . Dietary habits, lifestyle choices, and social factors significantly influence our health. Recently, we have seen shifts in food consumption patterns driven by various factors. These include the increased availability of processed foods, rapid urbanization, and changing lifestyles. The types, amounts, and frequency of consumed foods and beverages define dietary patterns, which have been evolving in recent decades due to the emergence of new or adapted eating habits. Common examples of dietary patterns include the ‘Western dietary pattern’ and the ‘Mediterranean dietary pattern’. Other significant patterns are the ‘prudent dietary pattern’, which emphasizes a high intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, and seafood, and the ‘vegetarian/plant-based dietary pattern’, which entirely omits meat and animal products. Understanding the individual motives that drive certain food choices is crucial for changing consumption habits, promoting healthier behaviors, and fostering sustainability. This Editorial introduces the Special Issue “Food Choice, Nutrition, and Public Health” and highlights key topics on this subject.
