The United Nations General Assembly has designated 16 November as the annual International Day of the Mediterranean Diet, a move welcomed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a way to promote awareness of healthy diets, sustainability, and food traditions that support food security and improved nutrition. The initiative aligns closely with FAO’s core mandate and global efforts to advance better diets for people and the planet.
FAO will take the lead role in supporting the celebration of the International Day, following the endorsement of the proposal at the 44th session of the FAO Conference earlier this year. The resolution was presented by Italy on behalf of a group of Mediterranean countries and was designed to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
For FAO, the International Day provides an opportunity to highlight the value of territorial diets that are deeply rooted in local history, economies, and environmental conditions. Such diets can support human health and environmental sustainability while also helping address major challenges such as food loss and waste and the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity.
In line with FAO’s mandate, activities linked to the International Day will also recognize the diversity of healthy dietary patterns worldwide that are grounded in local traditions. FAO’s work with countries includes technical assistance, international cooperation, and awareness-raising to promote diversified food production systems that enable access to healthy diets, spanning crops, livestock, and fisheries.
The Mediterranean diet has long been recognized for its health benefits, following early research in the 1960s that linked it to reduced risk of coronary heart disease and later studies associating it with lower rates of diabetes, certain cancers, and depression. Its cultural and social significance was further affirmed when UNESCO recognized it as an intangible cultural heritage.
Despite regional variations, the Mediterranean diet is characterized by a shared set of principles, including high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, moderate intake of animal-based foods, and limited consumption of sweets. FAO is developing a dedicated knowledge hub to consolidate evidence on the nutritional, health, and environmental benefits of such dietary patterns.
However, evidence shows that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is declining due to globalization, urbanization, and changing lifestyles, even as many Mediterranean countries face rising rates of overweight and obesity. At its core, the diet represents a social institution encompassing food production, preparation, and shared consumption, supported by strong community ties, cultural practices, and short supply chains.
Through the establishment of the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet, FAO aims to encourage greater awareness, investment, and action to protect healthy dietary patterns and the cultural, social, and production systems that sustain them, ensuring their benefits endure for future generations.
