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The Mediterranean Diet as a Sustainable and Healthy Diet for Food Security
Author(s) -
Hwalla Nahla,
El Labban Sibelle,
Bahn Rachel
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.791.3
Subject(s) - mediterranean diet , food security , environmental health , red meat , consumption (sociology) , healthy food , food group , type 2 diabetes , medicine , food science , geography , diabetes mellitus , biology , social science , archaeology , pathology , endocrinology , sociology , agriculture
Background and objective The global development agenda for 2016–2030 has identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), of which four are related to and can be addressed by sustainable food consumption and sustainable diets. Countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region need to address the SDGs, to which they have committed through formal voting at the UN General Assembly, by shifting towards more sustainable food consumption and production patterns. Hence, adopting sustainable diets should aim to promote simultaneously food security as well health and well‐being of populations, while being protective of the environment and preserving of its resources. Results A strong association has been found between high consumption of harmful food components (processed meat, red meat, trans fatty acids, sugar‐sweetened beverages, and sodium), low consumption of protective foods, and increased risk of deaths from cardiometabolic diseases across all MENA countries. These protective foods share many characteristics with the Mediterranean Diet (MD) (fruits, vegetables and beans, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and seafood omega‐3 fatty acid). Substantial evidence from prospective studies and meta‐analyses has consistently pointed to the protective effect of MD against several non‐communicable diseases. In particular, the traditional Lebanese diet has been analyzed in terms of its resemblance to the MD and its protective effect against chronic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes (OR: 0.46, CI: 0.22–0.97). Adherence to the Lebanese MD was associated with a 57% lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Lebanese urban adults. Conclusions Food‐based dietary guidelines (FBDGs), traditionally developed and used as a tool to direct healthy eating, should incorporate environmental sustainability. Countries of the Mediterranean basin are encouraged to provide their populations with FBDGs that preserve their Mediterranean heritage and satisfy both components of health and sustainability within the context of MDs. Developing national sustainable FBDGs based on the traditional MD would constitute an important step towards sustainable food consumption and delivering to the promise made to the international community on SDGs.