Despite the well-documented health and environmental benefits of the Mediterranean diet (MD), adherence to it has been declining for several decades — paradoxically even in countries of origin such as Spain, Italy, Portugal, Tunisia and Turkey. MoreMedDiet addresses this challenge through a multidisciplinary research approach combining consumer science, food technology, digital innovation and educational outreach to identify barriers, develop solutions and promote sustainable adoption of the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Identify and measure socioeconomic, cultural and motivational barriers influencing Mediterranean diet adoption across six countries. Design and develop 5 nutritious, sustainable, consumer-preferred Mediterranean ready-to-eat recipes using local varieties and bioactive compounds. Implement a blockchain-based farm-to-fork traceability platform enabling food chain transparency, quality assurance and consumer trust. Create sustainable business models for Mediterranean food products based on willingness-to-pay analysis and participatory stakeholder engagement. Produce multilingual MOOCs, training videos and policy recommendations to raise awareness and promote Mediterranean diet adoption at all levels. Produce evidence-based policy recommendation papers to inform national and European food policy towards healthier dietary patterns. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied and health-promoting dietary patterns globally. It is characterised by high consumption of plant-based foods (fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and cereals), olive oil, and a moderate consumption of fish and poultry. Despite this recognition, adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been declining even in traditionally Mediterranean countries, driven by westernisation of eating habits, time constraints, cost factors, and changing cultural norms — particularly among younger generations. MD adherence has dropped significantly over the past three decades across all participating countries. Lower MD adherence correlates with rising rates of cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic disorders. Food system sustainability suffers as traditional local ingredients and production methods are abandoned. First Mediterranean food project to deploy full blockchain traceability from farm to consumer. Co-creation recipe design sessions with consumers in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. Unique multi-country perspective capturing both European (North) and Southern Mediterranean perspectives. Educational content developed in 5 languages targeting all age groups from children to seniors. Scientific valorisation of bioactive compounds from food agro-industry by-products, seaweed and medicinal plants.Project Information
Full Name
More on the adoption of a healthy Mediterranean diet
Acronym
MoreMedDiet
Grant No.
101102316
Programme
PRIMA Call 2022 / Section 2
Start Date
01 June 2023
Duration
36 months
End Date
May 2026
What MoreMedDiet Aims to Achieve
Understand Consumer Behaviour
Innovate Mediterranean Recipes
Ensure Food Traceability
Develop Business Models
Educate & Disseminate
Policy Recommendations
Why the Mediterranean Diet Matters
Declining Adherence
Health Impact
Sustainability Gap
What Makes MoreMedDiet Unique
Blockchain Traceability
Living Labs Approach
Cross-Mediterranean
Multilingual MOOCs
Bioactive Compounds
Key Milestones & Achievements
Mediterranean Research Partners