Updating the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid towards Sustainability: Focus on Environmental Concerns

Lluís Serra-Majem, Laura Tomaino, Sandro Dernini, Elliot M. Berry, Denis Lairon, Joy Ngo de la Cruz, Anna Bach-Faig, Lorenzo M. Donini, Francesc-Xavier Medina, Rekia Belahsen, Suzanne Piscopo, Roberto Capone, Javier Aranceta-Bartrina, Carlo La Vecchia and Antonia Trichopoulou
Additional contact information
Lluís Serra-Majem: Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular—Materno Infantil (CHUIMI), Canarian Health Service, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Laura Tomaino: Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular—Materno Infantil (CHUIMI), Canarian Health Service, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Sandro Dernini: International Foundation of Mediterranean Diet, Nutrition Research Foundation, Barcelona Science Park, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Elliot M. Berry: International Foundation of Mediterranean Diet, Nutrition Research Foundation, Barcelona Science Park, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Denis Lairon: Human Nutrition, Aix Marseille University, INSERM, INRA, C2VN, 13005 Marseille, France
Joy Ngo de la Cruz: International Foundation of Mediterranean Diet, Nutrition Research Foundation, Barcelona Science Park, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Anna Bach-Faig: FoodLab Research Group (2017SGR 83), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia, UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Lorenzo M. Donini: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, 00136 Rome, Italy
Francesc-Xavier Medina: FoodLab Research Group (2017SGR 83), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia, UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Rekia Belahsen: Training and Research Unit on Nutrition & Food Sciences, Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Nutrition Laboratory, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida 24000, Morocco
Suzanne Piscopo: Department of Health, Physical Education and Consumer Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Malta, MSD2080 Msida, Malta
Roberto Capone: International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), 70010 Valenzano (Bari), Italy
Javier Aranceta-Bartrina: Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular—Materno Infantil (CHUIMI), Canarian Health Service, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Carlo La Vecchia: Department of Clinical Medicine and Community Health (DISCCO), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Antonia Trichopoulou: Hellenic Health Foundation, 11527 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Background: Nowadays the food production, supply and consumption chain represent a major cause of ecological pressure on the natural environment, and diet links worldwide human health with environmental sustainability. Food policy, dietary guidelines and food security strategies need to evolve from the limited historical approach, mainly focused on nutrients and health, to a new one considering the environmental, socio-economic and cultural impact—and thus the sustainability—of diets. Objective: To present an updated version of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (MDP) to reflect multiple environmental concerns. Methods: We performed a revision and restructuring of the MDP to incorporate more recent findings on the sustainability and environmental impact of the Mediterranean Diet pattern, as well as its associations with nutrition and health. For each level of the MDP we provided a third dimension featuring the corresponding environmental aspects related to it. Conclusions: The new environmental dimension of the MDP enhances food intake recommendations addressing both health and environmental issues. Compared to the previous 2011 version, it emphasizes more strongly a lower consumption of red meat and bovine dairy products, and a higher consumption of legumes and locally grown eco-friendly plant foods as much as possible.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; Mediterranean diet pyramid; sustainable diets; sustainability; environmental concerns; nutrition; food-based dietary guidelines (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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