Mediterranean Diet Promotion During Different Stages of Life: The Role of Diet in Crucial Periods

There is substantial evidence that diet plays a major role in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, mental disorders, and a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Among healthy dietary patterns, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the most beneficial, with strong evidence supporting its promotion at various life stages, including childhood, adolescence, and senior adulthood, and particularly for individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Maintaining a healthy dietary pattern during pregnancy is a key modifiable lifestyle factor that can positively influence both the mother and the fetus. Although the importance of nutritional status during pregnancy is well recognized, many pregnant women may not meet the minimum nutritional requirements. Despite the general accessibility of a balanced diet in industrialized countries, a shift toward high-fat and low-quality diets has led to inadequate vitamin and mineral intake during pregnancy. The Mediterranean diet is suggested as a beneficial dietary pattern for pregnant women, with certain modifications to ensure safety and to help meet the specific nutritional requirements of pregnancy. Our specific contribution lies in assessing the effects of the Mediterranean diet on various outcomes related to both the mother and child, as well as designing dietary assessment tools to evaluate diet quality during this critical stage of life.
 

Speaker: Sara Castro-Barquero (RD PhD).

Sponsors: RCCHU; Harvard University.