Portugal nutritional transition during the last 4 decades: 1974-2011
Alexandra Bento1, Carla Gonçalves2, Tânia Cordeiro3
1Faculty of Biotechnology, Catholic University of Portugal.
Porto Biomedical Journal
|October 10, 2019
Summary
Portugal
Area of Science:
- Nutritional epidemiology
- Public health nutrition
- Food policy analysis
Background:
- Portugal's food availability has undergone significant changes over the past four decades.
- Understanding these shifts is crucial for public health.
- The nutritional transition theory provides a framework for analyzing dietary changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in food availability in Portugal from 1974 to 2011.
- To assess these trends in the context of the nutritional transition theory.
- To compare nutrient availability with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Portuguese food balance sheets from 1974 to 2011.
- Linear regression used to identify trends in energy, macronutrients, and food groups.
- Comparison of protein, fat, and carbohydrate availability against WHO recommendations.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in the national availability of most food groups and daily energy intake (406 kcal/person/day).
- Decreased consumption of cereals, tubers, pulses, and alcohol.
- Protein availability met WHO recommendations; carbohydrates remained below, and fats exceeded recommendations since 1984.
Conclusions:
- Portugal has undergone a nutritional transition, exhibiting patterns associated with degenerative diseases.
- The nation may be poised for a new nutritional transition characterized by positive behavioral changes.
- Community-driven, multisectorial strategies can foster healthier dietary patterns, mirroring trends in other developed nations.
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