Healthy Nutrition as the Key Reference in Special Diets, Quality of Life, and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Eating is about how we relate to food in various contexts, and it is influenced by difficult choices that take into account biological, social, cultural, economic, psychological, and access-to-food-related aspects. As a result, eating decisions go beyond basic physiological and nutritional requirements. They may occasionally be conscious, but they can also be automatic, habitual, or subconscious. In these ways, eating is a complicated amalgam of ingrained habits, social norms, and acquired attitudes and feelings toward food. Despite being a long-standing international human right, not everyone has access to enough food. This includes people with low incomes, those who follow special diets, and people with dietary restrictions. Beyond all aspects including food choices, people with dietary restrictions are also subject to constraints placed on food consumption as a means of disease prevention or treatment. Additionally, some people choose not to eat certain types of foods for a variety of reasons, including ethical, moral, religious, and environmental reasons. These people may also have trouble getting access to enough food. In addition to being appropriate for their specificities, special diets and other dietary patterns should support an individual's nutritional and energy needs. This is important for an individual's health because unbalanced diets can have negative effects on the metabolism, resulting in nutrient deficiencies and causing inadequate weight. When people are not properly instructed regarding food (choices and consumption) and a healthy diet, it is assumed that special diets or other dietary patterns will be inappropriate. Additionally, the maintenance of a balanced diet is endangered by the higher cost and poorer nutritional and sensory quality of specialty food products compared to conventional meals. In addition to these challenges, people who follow special diets may experience social issues. Additionally, individuals could have difficulty getting hold of certain foods, getting access to restaurants that serve specialty cuisine, and getting advice on how to prepare nutritious meals. All of these factors may negatively impact these people's quality of life and have an impact on their access to and choice of food. As a result, this Special Issue seeks original research studies, reviews, commentaries, and short communications on: special diets; dietary restrictions; dietary patterns; gluten-free diets; dairy-free diets; sugar restriction; salt restriction; vegan diets; vegetarian diets; quality of life; and sustainability.

Dr. António Raposo
Dr. Renata Puppin Zandonadi
Prof. Dr. Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho
Guest Editors

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