Next Wednesday, 2 July, at 6pm, the Consulate General of Italy (Agustín de Betancourt 3 street) will host the Positive Nutrition for Health Promotion initiative, in collaboration with National Technology Platforms Food for Life, with the aim of promoting a culture that, starting from the different nutritional needs of the different population groups, consolidates the concepts of positive nutrition.
Despite several initiatives to prevent obesity and food-related diseases, the number of people suffering from malnutrition in the world continues to rise.
Dietary strategies adopted so far have focused on the restriction and elimination of individual nutrients from food; however, they have proved to be ineffective. Numerous research studies have shown that the main dietary risk factors are in fact more related to insufficient consumption of foods with positive health effects such as fruits and vegetables, marine sources of omega-33 and legumes- which with excessive consumption of food or nutrients have negative effects. So why not reverse the paradigm?
This has led researchers to develop the concept of “positive nutrition”, which suggests that it is more important and effective to promote the consumption of food groups with a positive impact on health, to prohibit or restrict food or nutrients with possible negative effects.
Positive nutrition is an innovative approach to food consumption that focuses on education to consume a variety of foods in the daily diet in appropriate portions, rather than excluding or reducing individual nutrients or foods. The Mediterranean diet, with its food pyramid, is a prime example of positive nutrition. It is a lifestyle that combines traditional culinary practices with innovative approaches to health and sustainability. Positive nutrition requires a shift in perspective from exclusion to inclusion to help people move away from the culture of restrictive diets and adopt a long-term sustainable lifestyle.
Speakers will address the issue of positive nutrition and the relationship between lifestyle, Mediterranean diet and non-communicable diseases. During the event will be presented the Cluster’s Positioning Document entitled: The Mediterranean diet, a healthy and sustainable diet model. The initiative involves researchers in the field of positive nutrition and experts in food products and technologies from both Italy and Spain.
During the event, the following topics will be discussed: Lifestyle and non-communicable diseases, María D. Ballesteros-Pomar, professor at the University Assistance Complex of León; Positive or negative nutrition?, Daniela Martini, professor at the University of Milan; Mediterranean diet and non-communicable diseases, Alicia Moreno Ortega, professor at the University of Cordoba, and the Positioning Document of the National Agrofood Cluster CL.A.N.: The Mediterranean diet, a model of healthy and sustainable diet, Lorenzo Maria Donini, professor at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome. To attend, the confirmation of attendance is required at this link.
