Introduction
Many societies across the Globe are currently faced with major behavioural and demographic changes and various challenges associated with them. Besides a spectrum of modern-day unhealthy habits, such as junk food and lack of exercise, these societies are also confronted with rapidly ageing populations in need of their own, specific habits and habitats. In addition to the traditional remedies of “healthy eating” and more exercise, a more specific, individual, and indeed personalized nutrition may contribute to a healthier lifestyle, especially in the elderly.
This Special Issue will therefore consider the recent developments in the field of Personalized Nutrition, with a specific focus on functional foods and their various, often controversial roles in this context. We shall address the questions if and how daily nutrition can become more effective in preventing and possibly even counteracting certain ailments and diseases, and if state-of-the-art AI tools may be recruited to analyse and subsequently personalize our daily food intake. Notably, daily nutrition is also a very personal, private issue and besides taking in nutrients also satisfies individual and even societal desires. Thus, we shall also consider the more psychological side of this topic, for instance, if and how such - changed - food habits may be justified, become accepted and eventually implemented on a personal and social / cultural level.
We therefore invite contributions from a wide range of disciplines and research fields considering the various aspects of personalized nutrition in the 21st Century and across the Globe
Keywords
Personalized Nutrition, Functional Foods, Healthy Lifestyle, Ageing Population, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dietary Habits, Preventive Health, Societal and Psychological Factors
Sub-topics
- Personalized nutrition
- Functional foods
- Healthy eating
- Eating habits
- AI-tools
- Geriatrics
- Disease prevention
- Personal acceptance
- Cultural traditions
