A Transnational movement to support the sustainable transition towards a healthy and Eco-friendly Agri-Food System through the promotion of MEDIET and its lifestyle in modern society – MEDIET4ALL

MEDIET4ALL employs a combination of digital innovations, nutritional research, and public engagement strategies to enhance adherence to the Mediterranean diet. MEDIET4ALL will follow a consumer-centered approach empowered by scientific methods and experimental results aiming to optimize and test the designed solutions. An iterative design and development process, where the consumer is engaged, will be used. At the beginning of the project (WP1: T1.1, O1) consumer’s MEDIET adherence, behaviors and determinant factors as well as his/her requirements (concerns and needs) will be identified. Based on these scientific results, the different MEDIET4ALL solutions/actions will be co-designed, including the modern MedRecipes (WP2, O2b) and their active/bio packaging (WP3, O2d), the MEDIET products databases (WP4, O2a), the ICT-based solutions (integrative platform and m-smart coach; WP5, O3) and the tailored awareness and marketing campaigns (WP6, O4). During the development process, there will be an intermediate prototype for each solution/product that will be tested by a consumer core group (64 persons: 8 from each country with gender parity) and presented to other stakeholders. Based on the collected feedback, there will be an improvement made to deliver final demonstration prototypes such as the smart-coach that will be tested during the multicenter case-study (400 users/consumers from the 8 collaborating countries 50/country) (WP1:T1.2, O6) and then delivered to stakeholders. A co-identification of the implementation approach for the EUR-MED region and of the different MEDIET4ALL business models will be performed as part of WP7 in order to ensure large market uptake of the solution (O6). All planned activities will be coordinated in WP8.
Generally, each iteration of this consumer-centered approach involves four distinct phases. First, understand the context and consumer behaviors. Then, identify and specify the consumer’s requirements. A design phase follows, in which the design team develops solutions/products. The team then proceeds to an evaluation phase. Here, we assess the outcomes of the evaluation against the gold standard and the consumer/users’ context and requirements, to check how well development is performing. More specifically, we see how close it is to a level that matches the quality gold standard and the consumer/users’ specific context and satisfies all of their relevant needs. From here, the team makes further iterations of these four phases and continues until the evaluation results are satisfactory. Thus, by keeping gold standards and end-users/consumers at the heart of its design and development process, the end result is far more likely to be useful, usable, impactful and meaningful. MEDIET4ALL project is, therefore, organized into 8 WPs.

MEDIET4ALL represents a significant advancement beyond the current state of the art by developing sustainable solutions to promote the Mediterranean diet (MEDIET) and Mediterranean lifestyle (MedLifestyle). By integrating traditional culinary practices with modern technological innovations, the project introduces optimized MedRecipes, innovative bio-based food packaging, and ICT-driven solutions such as the MedLifestyle Smart Coach. These innovations aim to address gaps in the availability and convenience of minimally processed, nutritious MedFoods, as well as accessible and health-focused digital platforms. A key feature of the project is its holistic approach, which combines dietary guidelines with recommendations for physical, mental, and social well-being, tailored to diverse consumer groups.

Expected Results by Project Completion
Development of 50 optimized, highly nutritional MedRecipes and three models of active bio-packaging to enhance food preservation and reduce waste.
Creation of a multilingual integrative platform and mobile app with personalized MedLifestyle programs.
Establishment of comprehensive databases for recipes, ingredients, and smallholders, bridging consumers and producers.
A projected 30% increase in MED adherence in the target populations during the feasibility study, leading to a 30% reduction in ultra-processed food (UPFD) consumption and associated risks for cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes.
Potential Impacts
Socio-economic – MEDIET4ALL will foster economic growth by promoting local agriculture, enhancing smallholder competitiveness, and creating jobs in sectors such as bio-packaging, culinary arts, and digital solutions. A one-third reduction in obesity is expected to lower healthcare costs by 30%.
Environmental and Climate – By shifting dietary habits from UPFDs to sustainable MedFoods, the project will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and food waste, aligning with the EU Green Deal and UN SDG12.
Societal – Increased adherence to MEDIET will enhance public health and social inclusion, particularly among older adults, through tailored dietary recommendations and community engagement initiatives.
Academic and Research – The project strengthens international research collaboration and supports young researchers through internships, joint publications, and cotutelle PhDs.
MEDIET4ALL bridges tradition and innovation to address global health and sustainability challenges. These outcomes will contribute to a long-term shift toward healthier, more sustainable food consumption behaviors.

MEDIET4ALL stands out due to its multidisciplinary approach and integration of technology-driven and behavioral strategies. Key distinguishing features include:
1. AI-Driven Smart Digital Coaching – A personalized virtual assistant guiding individuals toward optimal Mediterranean diet adherence.
2. Sustainable Food Packaging Innovation – Development of bio-based packaging to enhance food safety while minimizing environmental footprint.
3. Large-Scale Cross-National Research – A multicountry study identifying barriers and facilitators of Mediterranean diet adherence across diverse populations.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Impact – Partnerships with restaurants, food industries, and policymakers to scale up the Mediterranean diet movement.
Future Prospects include the expansion of the MEDIET4ALL platform to additional regions and the integration of emerging innovations such as blockchain-based food traceability and AI-enhanced nutritional assessments.

The project aims to generate:
1. Scientific Publications – Peer-reviewed studies on Mediterranean diet adherence, sustainability, and public health impact.
2. Open-Access Databases – A repository of Mediterranean food providers, recipes, and nutritional guidelines.
3. Technological Innovations – Development of (i) active bio-packaging solutions to extend food shelf life, (ii) highly nutritional and antioxidant modern recipes, (iii) MEDIET4ALL e-platform and smart coach.
4. Policy Briefs & Guidelines – Reports to inform policymakers on strategies to promote Mediterranean diet adherence.
The research findings will be disseminated through high-impact journals, conferences, and public awareness initiatives.

Mediterranean diet (MEDIET) is considered the world’s most evidence-based low processed eating pattern for promoting health and longevity while saving water/energy and conserving land. Unfortunately, due to the modern societal trends, adherence to MEDIET model is decreasing, while the consumption of takeout and ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPFDs) (having harmful impacts on health and environment) is exponentially growing, in all-ages, with alarming levels in many European-Mediterranean (EUR-MED) regions (e.g., UPFDs contribution to nutrient intakes ˜ 61% in Spain and 79% in Germany). Therefore, there is an urgent need for actions to tackle this rapid negative shift of dietary patterns from MEDIET towards UPFDs, and to scrutinise the resulting harmful impact on both population and ecosystem. The overall objective of “MEDIET4ALL” is to support the transition from UPFs culture to modern and sustainable MEDIET through the creation of transnational movement aiming at implementing best practices and innovative solutions to enhance the convenience, modernity, competitivity, and shelf life of MEDIET and the adherence to its lifestyle at all-age levels in modern societies. To achieve this overall objective, different multidisciplinary tailored approaches are proposed. Specifically, multicenter databases of MEDIET’s ingredients/food and their providers will be created to promote the accessibility to MEDIET. Additionally, a variety of highly nutritional and antioxidant-rich “Quick & Easy” MED-recipes that respond to modern trends while following the accredited MED dietary patterns and considering sustainability aspects will be developed. To promote the availability of MEDIET, these modern recipes will be communicated to hotels, canteens, restaurants and food production companies to provide on-site, takeout, delivered, packaged and/or ready-to-eat MEDIET meals. To preserve the eco-friendly (e.g., reducing food waste) and food safety characteristics and extend the shelf life of the MEDIET products, active bio-packaging will also be designed.
Interestingly, databases of MEDIET’s products (e.g., ingredients, food, modern recipes, and active/bio packaging) and their providers will be uploaded to a strategic “MEDIET4ALL” platform and m-app to support farm to fork strategy, help construct multicenter MEDIET supply chains and obtain cheap ingredients, thereby improving the competitivity and sustainability of MEDIET. The integrative “MEDIET4ALL” platform and m-apps (a smart MEDIET and lifestyle coach) will also include a variety of MEDIET programs, physical exercise, and psychosocial recommendations as well as combined MED-lifestyle intervention tailored to each user profile (considering users’ health status, age, preferences, cultural and socioeconomic groups).
Traditional and technology-based awareness and motivational campaigns with extensive marketing and advertising actions to promote MEDIET4ALL movement are also programmed and will also be included in the Platform and m-app. The acceptability and efficacy of these multidimensional approaches in promoting the (i) initial adherence to MED-lifestyle and (ii) the physical and mental health (e.g., BMI and mental wellbeing of smart-coach users) will be tested, at all age groups, during the collaborative research activities.
Working under the concept of a multidisciplinary approach consortium, multiple impacts of MEDIET4ALL are expected including the promotion of (i) modern MEDIET guidelines and products, tailored to all-age, in attractive, accessible, affordable and durable formats, while preserving their low processing, high nutrition value, and eco-friendly characteristics (ii) MEDIET acceptability and the transition towards a healthy and sustainable MEDIET through extensive marketing and awareness campaigns, (iii) and Med people health (e.g., reducing obesity rate and other diet-related non-communicable diseases) by increasing their adherence to MEDIET and active lifestyle.