[MedPlate Method™ ‒ A visual approach to nutritional education in eating disorders based on the mediterranean dietary...

Family-based therapy is the main evidence-based outpatient treatment for children and adolescents with eating disorders. In this context, nutritional education and family guidance can be carried out using different strategies, including calorie counting, exchange lists, and visual models and resources such as the Plate-by-Plate Approach®. The objectives of this study were to develop a visual resource adapted to the Mediterranean diet pattern and the eating and gastronomic habits of Spain, and to evaluate the energy and macro- and micronutrient contribution, as well as the methodology's nutritional quality, using models such as the Plate-by-Plate Approach® as a reference. The MedPlate Method™ was designed as a graphical tool that accounts for meals being distributed on a single plate or two plates. Different recipes and menus were developed according to cultural preferences, and their composition and nutritional quality were analyzed using specialized software. The results show that the MedPlate Method™ allows for meeting energy intake requirements and the recommended intakes for most nutrients. Further studies are needed to evaluate and validate the usefulness of the MedPlate Method™, a new nutritional education tool designed to help professionals and serve as a guide for family members and caregivers of eating disorder patients who are metabolically stable and not at risk of refeeding syndrome.