Improving adherence to the Mediterranean Diet through a bio-psycho social and sociotype approach

The bio-psycho-social and sociotypic approach to the multifaceted nature of theMDcan enable nutritionists and policy makers to focus on the different domains—Individual, Living/Social environment, and Institutional contexts—to make practical actions to improve the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. The concepts discussed in this article may be translated into policy decisions at the Institutional—Context level as follows (24): 1) Ensure that Food Systems are Sustainable along the entire food chain—from production to consumption; reduce food losses and waste. Involve multi-stakeholder partners. systemic policies designed to recognize food systems as complex adaptive systems (25). 2) Promote agriculture toward the best Sustainable Ecosystem services and practices. Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers (26). 3) Ensure the right of all members of the population to healthy, adequate, and affordable food. 4) Monitor regularly the safety of the food supply chain to be environmentally friendly and free of pathogens. 5) Legislate (and incentivize) the Food Industry to produce healthy (minimally processed foods), with less added sugars, trans fats, salt, and additives. Informative Labeling (27, 28). Ensure honest and transparent marketing with. No junk food adverts to children 6) Improve Public Health Education on healthy life styles, nutrition, cooking (Mediterranean Diet Patterns), and physical activity. Once these policies are set in place, then implementation will follow by improving the living/social environment (relationships) and ensuring a healthy, safe external environment (institutional context) to affect the individual and, thereby, enhance adherence to the Mediterranean diet (29). Finally, we note that diets should not be a list of do’s and don’ts, but rather a pleasurable and tasty experience (Individual) in which we respect traditional and cultural preferences (Social Environment). We have to eat to live and not vice versa.