Follow the latest scientific developments on food, health, sustainability and fruit and vegetables with Aprifel’s monitoring news for June 2026.
School and university dining services can play a strategic role in promoting and supporting healthy and sustainable dietary patterns, particularly by improving the food environment for diners. A systematic review analysed the measures taken for this purpose, by American universities. Nearly 97% of them have taken steps to strengthen the availability of plant-based options. The most common initiatives involved increasing the proportion of plant-based options, organising meat-free days or offering new dishes using plant-based foods. The other main measures taken included providing information, using nudges, reducing portions of animal-sourced foods or offering only plant-based options. These simple approaches, deployed on a large scale, are effective. However, some levers remain insufficiently exploited, in particular enhancing the appearance of plant-based foods or relying on pricing strategies.
This cohort study of about 20,000 elderly Chinese revealed that diets that were rich in green vegetables and yellow-orange fruit reduce cardiovascular risks and all-cause mortality. These diets are also associated with favourable cardiometabolic health markers, including lower blood pressure and better cholesterol levels. Their beneficial effects are partly explained by the nutrients they provide. In fact, they provide certain nutrients that are lacking in Asian diets: riboflavin, vitamin C and potassium.
A recent randomised trial analysed the joint effect of the Mediterranean diet and physical activity on wellbeing, psychological health and quality of life. The participants, Australians aged between 60 and 90 years, followed the MedWalk programme for one year. This offered dietary support, the provision of foods characteristic of the Mediterranean diet and a corresponding recipe book, and group walking sessions. Compared with the control group, the participants showed a greater improvement in psychological health and wellbeing after six months. These results reinforce the value of interventions that combine diet and physical activity.
A study examined the role of motives and self-regulation in the adoption of healthy behaviour. Healthy eating habits assessed included increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, physical activity and sedentary behaviour patterns. Participants’ motives for adopting such behaviour fell into four categories: health, appearance, the social aspect and their interest. In particular, participants with a high level of autonomous self-regulation and interest-based motivation consumed more vegetables. The women also showed a high level of autonomous self-regulation. This may be linked to a greater emphasis on health and appearance in their food choices. Overall, these results highlight the importance of autonomous motivation in behaviour change.
Many food sources contribute to the consumption of nitrates and nitrites, including water, green leafy vegetables and processed meat. Based on English and Danish data, a cohort study explored the association between the consumption of these compounds, according to their dietary sources, and the risk of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Moderate consumption of plant-based nitrates was associated with a lower incidence of MASLD. Individuals consuming plant-based nitrates had more favourable liver imaging markers. In contrast, opposite trends were observed for nitrates of animal origin.
