SUSTAINABLE EATING

Sustainable eating refers to a dietary consumption model that meets people's nutritional needs without compromising natural resources for future generations. It considers the environmental impact of food production and distribution, promoting practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and soil degradation (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2010). Unhealthy and unsustainable diets have a significant impact on both human health, representing a risk factor for obesity and associated chronic diseases (Popkin & Ng, 2022), and the environment, substantially contributing to climate change (Lindgren et al., 2019), which in turn can be associated with psychological issues such as eco-anxiety (Pearson, 2024). Over the past decades, food sustainability has become a subject of study across various disciplines. In psychology, it is crucial to study psychological factors influencing individuals' food choices, such as psychological well-being, dysfunctional eating behaviors (e.g., orthorexia nervosa and emotional eating), or psychological distress, to develop effective strategies for promoting more conscious and sustainable eating habits, such as mindful eating.

Our research group is currently involved in Spoke 7 of OnFoods, a research partnership focused on the sustainable development of food and nutrition, funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). OnFoods acts as a coordination hub for seven thematic Spokes, each focusing on a specific and crucial aspects of the food system, collaborating to achieve common goals regarding food safety and quality, nutrition, and malnutrition prevention.

Spoke 7, “Policies, Behaviors, and Education,” specifically focuses on the development of models and tools, including advanced digital and technological tools, to observe, analyze, and predict agricultural and food policies, as well as business and consumer behaviors.