Topic Editors

Department of Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Department of Nutrition, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil

Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets

Abstract submission deadline
31 August 2025
Manuscript submission deadline
31 October 2025
Viewed by
9135

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between food and the three main pillars of sustainability (social, economic, and environmental sustainability) has always existed, but it is currently becoming more visible. Alongside increasing environmental degradation and the scarcity of natural resources, undernutrition in its different forms affects thousands of individuals worldwide, highlighting food inequalities in the most vulnerable populations. Food choices represent a complex process reflecting methods of food consumption and production. Individuals’ dietary patterns may impact the main domains of sustainability and quality of life. In this sense, dietary choices must be thought of as a collective act, and a healthy diet can only materialize by understanding feeding and food complexity. As a basic human right, food must be accessible, considering sufficient, nutritious, and safe food; respect cultural habits; and originate from sustainable production systems, among others. To achieve this human right and make healthy eating accessible, research must be strategically designed to stimulate public policies and other government policies, or private actions may be adopted to ensure that adequate diets are affordable. By developing a collective awareness of healthy food choices, this pathway can be transformed. The community and food environments have an important role in this regard. Menu planning must be performed to encompass all of the principles of healthy and sustainable eating. Thus, it can be used for health promotion in several types of food services, from which many people eat their meals daily. It is also important to consider nutritional education and external influences, such as the media, in constructing food choices. The joint action of actors involved in forming conscious individuals committed to healthy eating will strengthen the guarantee of the right to food access. In this sense, this Topic proposes to publish research that supports the promotion of collective awareness focused on healthy and sustainable food choices. Actions regarding different aspects of food, especially concerning more vulnerable individuals, should be widely discussed to create solutions focused on protecting life, health, and the planet. Therefore, this Topic aims to summarize state-of-the-art research and practices regarding achieving healthy and sustainable diets. The Topic includes but is not limited to the following topics:

  • Food as a human right;
  • Food security;
  • Food choice;
  • Food quality;
  • Food literacy;
  • Sustainable diets;
  • Menu management;
  • Quality of life;
  • Nutritional education.

Prof. Dr. Verônica Cortez Ginani
Prof. Dr. Renata Puppin Zandonadi
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • food quality
  • food literacy
  • food safety
  • food security
  • sustainability
  • food choices
  • food purchase
  • quality of life
  • nutritional education

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Beverages
beverages
3.0 6.1 2015 20.6 Days CHF 1600 Submit
Dairy
dairy
- 4.4 2020 21.5 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Foods
foods
4.7 7.4 2012 14.3 Days CHF 2900 Submit
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
ijerph
- 7.3 2004 24.3 Days CHF 2500 Submit
Nutrients
nutrients
4.8 9.2 2009 17.5 Days CHF 2900 Submit

Preprints.org is a multidiscipline platform providing preprint service that is dedicated to sharing your research from the start and empowering your research journey.

MDPI Topics is cooperating with Preprints.org and has built a direct connection between MDPI journals and Preprints.org. Authors are encouraged to enjoy the benefits by posting a preprint at Preprints.org prior to publication:

  1. Immediately share your ideas ahead of publication and establish your research priority;
  2. Protect your idea from being stolen with this time-stamped preprint article;
  3. Enhance the exposure and impact of your research;
  4. Receive feedback from your peers in advance;
  5. Have it indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Order results
Result details
Journals
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
11 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Nutritional Education in Polish Companies: Employee Needs and the Role of Employers in Health Promotion
by Anna Katarzyna Mazurek-Kusiak, Andrzej Soroka and Agnieszka Godlewska
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3376; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193376 - 4 Oct 2024
Viewed by 648
Abstract
The modern work environment is constantly evolving, and with it, the emphasis on employee health and well-being is increasing. Background: Nutritional education has become a key component of health promotion strategies in many companies that recognize the benefits of healthy eating habits for [...] Read more.
The modern work environment is constantly evolving, and with it, the emphasis on employee health and well-being is increasing. Background: Nutritional education has become a key component of health promotion strategies in many companies that recognize the benefits of healthy eating habits for enhancing efficiency and job satisfaction. Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand employees’ nutritional needs at work, and to assess the support provided by employers. The analysis focused on employees’ eating habits and their attitudes towards eating at work, motives and barriers to healthy eating. Methods: The study was conducted using an anonymous survey completed by 1.056 individuals from across Poland. A discriminant function was selected for data analysis, which examined the differences between groups. Results/Conclusions: The larger enterprises are more inclined to establish meal consumption spaces, which contributes to a more organised work culture. The larger the business, the more time employees spend eating meals, it being influenced by better-developed eating facilities, which undoubtedly encourages the workers to take longer breaks. The people with obesity were found to place the highest value on healthy food options and the people with a normal BMI are more responsive to healthy food subsidies, nutritional advice provided by a dietitian, and access to fitness facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets)
13 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Nutrients, Diet Quality, and Dietary Patterns in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparative Analysis
by Tingting Yin, Wenjing Tu, Yiting Li, Lina Huang, Yamei Bai and Guihua Xu
Nutrients 2024, 16(18), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183093 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1037
Abstract
(1) Background: Diet plays an important role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There are a number of methods available to assess the diets of patients with IBD, including nutrients, dietary patterns, and various appraisal tools of diet quality. However, research [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Diet plays an important role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There are a number of methods available to assess the diets of patients with IBD, including nutrients, dietary patterns, and various appraisal tools of diet quality. However, research on diet quality and dietary patterns in IBD populations is limited, and comparative evaluations of dietary intake in patients with IBD have not been performed. (2) Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess nutrients, the dietary patterns, and diet quality of patients with IBD and to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns, diet quality, and the adequacy of nutrient intake. (3) Methods: Three-day food records of 268 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 126 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) were collected to estimate nutrients and food groups, while dietary quality was assessed using the Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis (PCA). Participants’ nutrient intake, diet quality, and dietary patterns were compared. We used binary logistic regression to assess the relationship between dietary patterns (independent variable) and nutritional adequacy (dependent variable). (4) Results: In our sample, patients had inadequate energy, protein, and dietary fiber intake compared with Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI). Regarding micronutrients, intakes of potassium, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, sodium, calcium, iron, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin were inadequate. Regarding food groups, the highest intakes were fruits, legumes, dairy products, and nuts. PCA revealed four dietary patterns, namely DP1, DP2, DP3, and DP4. Among UC patients, 96, 55, 69, and 48 patients adhered to DP1, DP2, DP3, and DP4 dietary patterns, respectively. Among CD patients, 41, 31, 34, and 20 patients complied with the dietary patterns of DP1, DP2, DP3, and DP4, respectively. There was no significant difference in dietary patterns between UC and CD patients. Compared with DP4 (high intake of mixed legumes and low intake of tubers), DP1 (high intake of cereals, tubers, vegetables and eggs) was more likely to ensure adequate intake of energy (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.55, 5.62), protein (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.06, 3.96), carbohydrates (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.51, 6.59), thiamine (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.36,4.93), niacin (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.39, 5.42), phosphorus (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.08, 3.85), zinc (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.28, 4.63), and manganese (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.60, 5.90), and DP2 (high intake of fruits, poultry, aquatic products, and nuts) was more likely to meet niacin requirements than DP4 (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.28, 5.48). (5) Conclusion: This study clarifies our understanding of dietary intake, diet quality, and dietary patterns in adult patients with IBD. Future attention is needed to improve diet quality, emphasizing the importance of assessing and understanding patient dietary habits and increasing understanding of the factors that influence dietary intake in IBD in order to achieve optimal outcomes for patients with IBD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets)
14 pages, 2615 KiB  
Article
Dietary Factors and Risk of Gout: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
by Guosen Ou, Jialin Wu, Shiqi Wang, Yawen Jiang, Yaokang Chen, Jingwen Kong, Huachong Xu, Li Deng, Huan Zhao, Xiaoyin Chen and Lu Xu
Foods 2024, 13(8), 1269; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081269 - 21 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2372
Abstract
Background: Dietary intervention is the preferred approach for the prevention and clinical management of gout. Nevertheless, the existing evidence regarding the influence of specific foods on gout is insufficient. Methods: We used two-sample Mendelian randomization for genetic prediction to analyze the relationship between [...] Read more.
Background: Dietary intervention is the preferred approach for the prevention and clinical management of gout. Nevertheless, the existing evidence regarding the influence of specific foods on gout is insufficient. Methods: We used two-sample Mendelian randomization for genetic prediction to analyze the relationship between the intake of more than a dozen daily food items, such as pork, beef, cheese, and poultry, and dietary macronutrient intake (fat, protein, carbohydrates, and sugar) and the risk of developing gout and elevating the serum uric acid level. Inverse-variance weighted MR analyses were used as the main evaluation method, and the reliability of the results was tested by a sensitivity analysis. Results: Cheese intake was associated with lower serum uric acid levels, and tea intake (OR = 0.523, [95%CI: 0.348~0.784], p = 0.002), coffee intake (OR = 0.449, [95%CI: 0.229~0.882], p = 0.020), and dried fruit intake (OR = 0.533, [95%CI: 0.286~0.992], p = 0.047) showed a preventive effect on the risk of gouty attacks. In contrast, non-oily fish intake (β = 1.08, [95%CI: 0.24~1.92], p = 0.012) and sugar intake (β = 0.34, [95%CI: 0.03~0.64], p = 0.030) were risk factors for elevated serum uric acid levels, and alcohol intake frequency (OR = 1.422, [95%CI: 1.079~1.873], p = 0.012) was a risk factors for gout predisposition. Conclusions: These results will significantly contribute to the formulation and refinement of nutritional strategies tailored to patients afflicted with gout. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets)
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 677 KiB  
Article
α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Tea and Kombucha from Rhizophora mucronata Leaves
by Yunita Eka Puspitasari, Emmy Tuenter, Annelies Breynaert, Kenn Foubert, Herawati Herawati, Anik Martinah Hariati, Aulanni’am Aulanni’am, Tess De Bruyne and Nina Hermans
Beverages 2024, 10(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages10010022 - 15 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1852
Abstract
A decoction of Rhizophora mucronata Lam. mangrove bark is used as an antidiabetic treatment in Asia. Kombucha tea is a fermented beverage, which is also claimed to be antidiabetic. In this work, the potency of R. mucronata leaves as α-glucosidase inhibitor was studied [...] Read more.
A decoction of Rhizophora mucronata Lam. mangrove bark is used as an antidiabetic treatment in Asia. Kombucha tea is a fermented beverage, which is also claimed to be antidiabetic. In this work, the potency of R. mucronata leaves as α-glucosidase inhibitor was studied to assess whether it could be a suitable alternative to the use of R. mucronata bark. α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined for three extracts prepared from R. mucronata leaves, being the unfermented tea of R. mucronata leaves, the fermented kombucha tea and an 80% methanolic extract of the residual R. mucronata leaves. Flavonoid glycosides were identified in tea powder, kombucha tea and in the crude methanolic extract. Both the unfermented tea and the kombucha tea after 7 days of fermentation inhibited α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 0.12 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 0.09 ± 0.04 mg/mL, respectively. The methanolic extract showed a stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared to the kombucha tea and tea powder with an IC50 value of 0.0435 ± 0.0007 mg/mL. Acarbose, used as a positive control, inhibited α-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 2.4 ± 0.2 mg/mL. It was found that the three types of preparations of R. mucronata all were potent α-glucosidase inhibitors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 2619 KiB  
Article
Effects of a Novel Applet-Based Personalized Dietary Intervention on Dietary Intakes: A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Real-World Scenario
by Hongwei Liu, Jingyuan Feng, Zehuan Shi, Jin Su, Jing Sun, Fan Wu and Zhenni Zhu
Nutrients 2024, 16(4), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16040565 - 19 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1621
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel WeChat applet-based personalized dietary intervention aimed at promoting healthier dietary intakes. A two-arm parallel, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in a real-world scenario and involved a total of [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel WeChat applet-based personalized dietary intervention aimed at promoting healthier dietary intakes. A two-arm parallel, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in a real-world scenario and involved a total of 153 participants (the intervention group, n = 76; the control group, n = 77), lasting for 4 months in Shanghai, China. The intervention group had access to visualized nutrition evaluations through the applet during workday lunch time, while the control group received no interventions. A total of 3413 lunch dietary intake records were captured through the applet. Linear mixed models were utilized to assess the intervention effects over time. At baseline, the participants’ lunchtime dietary intakes were characterized by insufficient consumption of plant foods (86.9% of the participants) and excessive intake of animal foods (79.7% of the participants). Following the commencement of the intervention, the intervention group showed a significant decrease in the animal/plant food ratio (β = −0.03/week, p = 0.024) and the consumption of livestock and poultry meat (β = −1.80 g/week, p = 0.035), as well as a borderline significant increase in the consumption of vegetables and fruits (β = 3.22 g/week, p = 0.055) and plant foods (β = 3.26 g/week, p = 0.057) over time at lunch compared to the control group. The applet-based personalized dietary intervention was feasible and effective in improving dietary intakes and, consequently, possibly may manage body weight issues in real-world scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Ways to Achieve Healthy and Sustainable Diets)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop