Food Environments, Dietary Behaviors, and Population Health
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 1565
Special Issue Editors
Interests: environmental exposure; nuerocogntive and neurodegenerative disorders; nutrients intake and brain; nutritional deficiency; mental health
Interests: nutritional epidemiology; nutrition assessment; clinical nutrition; food insecurity; neuropsychological tests; executive function; aging
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The food environment encompasses the physical, social, economic, and cultural surroundings that determine the availability and affordability of food. A healthy food environment is one that ensures healthy nutrients.
The food environment strongly shapes both dietary patterns and long-term health outcomes. When communities are surrounded by nutritious, affordable food options, such as fresh produce, whole grains, and lean proteins, individuals are more likely to adopt healthier dietary patterns. In contrast, environments dominated by fast food, processed snacks, and sugary beverages increase the risk of poor diet quality and chronic diseases. However, effect sizes and causal certainty vary because studies use various measurement approaches and designs.
Key health outcomes that may be associated with poor food environment include Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, micronutrient deficiencies, and mental health outcomes such as stress, depression, and anxiety. Addtionally, food-insecure environments lead to inconsistent access to nutritious food, resulting in poor brain development in children.
The goal of this Special Issue is to demonstrate how the food environment can influence the quality of dietary choices in popualtions and, in turn, how poor diet leads to chronic non-communicable disease.
Prof. Dr. Khalid M. Khan
Dr. Berna Rahi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- food quality
- chronic diseases
- food insecurity
- dietary patterns
- brain and mental health
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