• The EU is funding a project to promote the Mediterranean diet as a way to a "healthy and active lifestyle".
Called MEDIETY4ALL, the project is a collaboration between ten partners in eight countries and brings together specialist research from Europe and Africa to promote wider consumer adoption of a diet rich in whole grains, fish and vegetables. The implementation period is July 2023 – May 2026, and the total budget is 2.369.357 euros.
The Mediterranean diet encompasses the traditional eating patterns common in countries around the Mediterranean. Long associated with optimal health, the diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, grains, grains, fish and unsaturated fats, while being low in meat and dairy products. Past studies have linked it to a reduced risk of dementia, increased chances of healthy aging and increased bone health in those suffering from osteoporosis.
However, many Mediterranean countries have adopted the consumption of ultra-processed foods, associated with a negative impact on health. Some researchers in Italy have even suggested a link between the shift to Western diets in the region and the rise in obesity-related diseases.
An ambitious project
On this basis, it was launched the new project of the EU which aims to promote the wider adoption of minimally processed and unprocessed foods, to the detriment of the consumption of ultra-processed foods.
This diet was chosen based on the large body of evidence showing that the Mediterranean diet is linked to positive health outcomes, as well as the fact that it is easy to adopt among low-processed eating patterns because it emphasizes fruit , vegetables, whole grain products and olive oil.
To promote the Mediterranean diet, researchers conduct online surveys to better understand the profile of Euro-Mediterranean consumers and the possibility that they might be motivated to adopt the Mediterranean diet. This will allow them to design programs to encourage the consumption of foods associated with this diet, including social programs and exercise programs, as well as dietary recommendations.
MEDIET4ALL – lifestyle coach
Among the products and activities that will be implemented within the project are cooking classes, interactive games, organizing awareness and motivation campaigns, creating digital platforms, developing and testing modern recipes, ecological packaging, as well as creating a network of contact between consumers and producers. The project will also develop and test a MEDIET4ALL application, which it aims to use as a right "lifestyle coach".
In addition, the project emphasizes the sustainable aspect of the Mediterranean diet, which can help save energy and water, conserve soils and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the project is part of the EU strategy "Farm to Fork".
As well as focusing on the positive aspects of the Mediterranean diet, the project will also raise the alarm about the negative impact of ultra-processed foods on health. The project, which stretches between southern Europe and northern Africa, involves an impressive number of experts in fields ranging from sports to computer science, from nutrition to packaging technology.
It also includes a wide range of academic institutions such as the University of Burgundy, France, the University of València, Spain, the University of Palermo, Italy, the University of Sfax, Tunisia, the École Nationale d'Agriculture de Meknès and the Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Rabat in Morocco, as well as the University of Boumerdes, Algeria. Added to these are non-academic partners, such as the agri-food research and innovation cluster Vitagora in France and the Institute Microtarians from Luxembourg.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Arta Alb Editoră
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