Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience

In Portugal, public policies promoting a healthy diet have gained prominence in recent years, reflecting a growing concern with the population’s health status and its individual, social, economic, and political impact. These policies aim to mitigate the impact of inadequate eating habits as a determ...

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Main Authors: Bruno Almeida Marques, Alexandre Morais Nunes, João Ricardo Catarino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Dietetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0311/4/2/23
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author Bruno Almeida Marques
Alexandre Morais Nunes
João Ricardo Catarino
author_facet Bruno Almeida Marques
Alexandre Morais Nunes
João Ricardo Catarino
author_sort Bruno Almeida Marques
collection DOAJ
description In Portugal, public policies promoting a healthy diet have gained prominence in recent years, reflecting a growing concern with the population’s health status and its individual, social, economic, and political impact. These policies aim to mitigate the impact of inadequate eating habits as a determinant of health and the population’s disease burden. Based on a document analysis, the main objective of this article is to explore public healthy diet policies in Portugal following the 2017 implementation of the Estratégia Integrada para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável (Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of a Healthy Diet), which is the primary guiding instrument for these policies. Among the most impactful legislative measures found in this sector, we highlight the reformulation of food products, food taxation, food marketing regulation, food incentives, and food labeling. Despite significant progress in promoting healthy diets, some challenges still remain, particularly the growing prevalence of behavior-related chronic non-communicable diseases, like obesity, such as the maintenance of a set of health determinants related to inadequate nutrition. Thus, the continuity and deepening of such policies, combined with continuous impact assessments, are crucial to ensuring a healthier future.
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spelling doaj-art-96caa3867f28497789202e3c07dfdac22025-08-20T03:27:18ZengMDPI AGDietetics2674-03112025-06-01422310.3390/dietetics4020023Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese ExperienceBruno Almeida Marques0Alexandre Morais Nunes1João Ricardo Catarino2Nutrition Service of Local Health Unit of São José, Rua José António Serrano, 1150-199 Lisbon, PortugalCenter for Public Administration and Public Policies, Institute of Social and Political Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua Almerindo Lessa, 1300-663 Lisbon, PortugalCenter for Public Administration and Public Policies, Institute of Social and Political Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua Almerindo Lessa, 1300-663 Lisbon, PortugalIn Portugal, public policies promoting a healthy diet have gained prominence in recent years, reflecting a growing concern with the population’s health status and its individual, social, economic, and political impact. These policies aim to mitigate the impact of inadequate eating habits as a determinant of health and the population’s disease burden. Based on a document analysis, the main objective of this article is to explore public healthy diet policies in Portugal following the 2017 implementation of the Estratégia Integrada para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável (Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of a Healthy Diet), which is the primary guiding instrument for these policies. Among the most impactful legislative measures found in this sector, we highlight the reformulation of food products, food taxation, food marketing regulation, food incentives, and food labeling. Despite significant progress in promoting healthy diets, some challenges still remain, particularly the growing prevalence of behavior-related chronic non-communicable diseases, like obesity, such as the maintenance of a set of health determinants related to inadequate nutrition. Thus, the continuity and deepening of such policies, combined with continuous impact assessments, are crucial to ensuring a healthier future.https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0311/4/2/23healthy dietnutritionPortugalpublic policies
spellingShingle Bruno Almeida Marques
Alexandre Morais Nunes
João Ricardo Catarino
Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
Dietetics
healthy diet
nutrition
Portugal
public policies
title Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
title_full Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
title_fullStr Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
title_full_unstemmed Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
title_short Public Policies on Healthy Diet: Analyzing the Portuguese Experience
title_sort public policies on healthy diet analyzing the portuguese experience
topic healthy diet
nutrition
Portugal
public policies
url https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0311/4/2/23
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