Evidence-based public health interventions – current situation and challenges in respect to eating behaviour

Abstract

Purpose of review Healthcare authorities and policymakers are well aware that chronic diseases associated with eating behaviour and lifestyle are a threat for the sustainability of health structures and for the wellbeing of the general population. Despite relentless efforts, the result of numerous nutritional public health initiatives to reduce dietary risk factors remain disappointing. Recent findings Adherence to the recommendations, often compromised by behavioural determinants, might get further jeopardized by the influence of social media. Another matter of concern is the emerging use of food delivery services, which has spread rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The devastating impact of these recent changes in consumer habits might not be quantifiable before several years. Summary Alerts about the worrying consequences of inappropriate food intake and exhortations to modify lifestyle can be counterproductive and lead to disengagement and even mistrust. As long as people are not more directly engaged in the process of investigating and establishing the most appropriate orientation for adequate healthy eating strategies, they will continue to be insufficiently spurred. The deployment of citizen science within public health nutrition research would offer an outstanding opportunity to get better insight in the most suitable triggers for inducing sustainable behaviour changes, an important challenge for health promotion.