Innovation and Trends in the Global Food Systems, Dietary Patterns and Healthy Sustainable Lifestyle in the Digital Age

100.5K
views
135
authors
16
articles
Editors
4
Impact
Loading...
Review
16 March 2022

There are 22 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) expanding from Morocco in the west to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the east, containing a population of 725,721 million in 2020. In the previous 30 years, the illness burden in the EMR has transmitted from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In 2019, cardiovascular mortality in the EMR was mostly attributed to ischemic heart disease, the first reason for mortality in 19 countries in the region. Stroke was the second reason for death in nine countries followed by diabetes, which was ranked as the second reason for death in two countries. The prominent nutrition-related NCDs risk factors in EMR include obesity, hypertension, high fasting plasma glucose, and upregulated unhealthy diet consumption. Most of the EMR population are unaware of their NCDs risk factor status. These risk factors, even if treated, are often poorly controlled, therefore, inhibiting their existence by changing the lifestyle to proper dietary habits and sufficient physical activity is mandatory. In this review, the epidemiology and nutrition-related risk factors of NCDs in the EMR will be discussed and illustrated, aiming to scale up action and support decision-makers in implementing cost effective strategies to address obesity and NCDs prevention and management in the region.

23,443 views
73 citations

Online food delivery usage has soared during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has seen increased demand for home-delivery during government mandated stay-at-home periods. Resulting implications from COVID-19 may threaten decades of development gains. It is becoming increasingly more important for the global community to progress toward sustainable development and improve the wellbeing of people, economies, societies, and the planet. In this perspective article, we discuss how the rising use of these platform-to-consumer delivery operations may impede advances toward the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, online food delivery services may disrupt SDGs that address good health and wellbeing, responsible consumption and production, climate action and decent work and economic growth. To mitigate potential negative impacts of these meal delivery apps, we have proposed a research and policy agenda that is aligned with entry points within a systems approach identified by the World Health Organization. Food industry reforms, synergised public health messaging and continuous monitoring of the growing impact of online food delivery should be considered for further investigation by researchers, food industry, governments, and policy makers.

19,959 views
17 citations
Recommended Research Topics
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health Nutrition: Assessing Evidence to Determine Policy and Practice
Edited by Giuseppe Grosso, Alessandra Lafranconi, Sumantra Ray, RNutr
171.3K
views
47
authors
9
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Nutrition

Marketing Environment and Nutrition Quality
Edited by JOSE M GIL, Luiza Toma, Cesar Luis Revoredo-Giha, Montserrat Costa Font, Faical Akaichi
44.8K
views
14
authors
4
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Public Health

Key nutrition and hydration insights for Public Health and Policy
Edited by Sumantra Ray, RNutr, Pauline Douglas, RD
157.9K
views
169
authors
26
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Nutrition

Nutrition for Humanity in the Anthropocene - for Healthier People on a Healthier Planet
Edited by Martin Kussmann, Matthew Hayek
61.8K
views
44
authors
8
articles
Frontiers Logo

Frontiers in Nutrition

10 years of Frontiers in Nutrition: Food, Nutrition, and Diets at Net Zero
Edited by Johannes le Coutre
10.6K
views
0
articles