Sustainable diets: definition, state of the art and perspectives for a new research agenda in Brazil

Abstract

It is an integrative literature review to discuss the emergence and construction of the definition of sustainable diets, to bring the current panorama of what has been studied about it and to point to a new research agenda in Brazil. The searches conducted between April and July 2018, were carried out in the databases Science Direct, Pubmed, Periódicos Capes, Google Academic, Banco de Teses, in addition to the use of the method snowball, reaching 365 articles analyzed. The concern with sustainable diets is related to the redirection of the dominant food system in the achievement of environmental and health goals, considering the culture and the economy. The main focus of the articles were: theoretical efforts to conceptualize what are sustainable diets; analysis of different types of diets; factors involved in consumers' choices/behaviors; size of food production; of health; of the economy; culture and society; policies and governance; and discussion on the methodologies used to measure and analyze the different aspects of sustainable diets. In Brazil, only 19 papers were found, which points to the gap in this area of research and the need to create this agenda of studies in the country, given its importance for public and environmental health.