Abstract

BERMEJO, Laura M et al. Food sustainability: keys for the consumer, advantages and disadvantages. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2023, vol.40, n.spe2, pp.70-76.  Epub Dec 18, 2023. ISSN 1699-5198.  https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.04960.

To meet the food and nutritional needs of a growing population and, at the same time, guarantee natural and productive resources, food systems must undergo changes in production models and consumption patterns, adopting more sustainable diets. The recommendations of different organizations and institutions are aimed at adopting a varied and balanced dietary pattern, with a greater predominance of plant-based food and a lower presence of animal food, to improve the state of health and well-being, while reducing the environmental impact. These types of diets have important health benefits, especially if diets are well planned and foods are properly combined. However, in some stages of life (schoolchildren, adolescents, elders) and in some special physiological situations (pregnancy, athletes), special attention should be paid to the increase of certain nutritional requirements that could compromise the health status if a correct dietary planning is not carried out. Therefore, well-designed strategies should be put in place to facilitate the transition to a sustainable diet, including nutrition education programs for consumers with specific instructions on the most appropriate food choices to increase the nutritional value of the diet. In addition, in specific physiological situations, where meeting nutritional requirements may be compromised, the consumption of fortified foods and/or supplementation could be considered.

Keywords : Sustainability; Sustainable diet; Dietary changes; Plant-based diet; Advantages; Disadvantages; Dietary guidelines; Nutritional recommendations.

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