Obesity represents one of the main public health problems worldwide. In Portugal, more than half of the adult population has overweight and obesity reached 1,5 million people aged more than 18 years-old. At the heart of these numbers is an unbalanced lifestyle: inadequate eating habits and physical inactivity. When analyzing childhood obesity, all Portuguese regions showed a decrease in the prevalence of overweight (including obesity), although it’s still an alarming situation. It’s believed that underlining this positive trend is the increase in food policy and outstanding national programs in recent years. Portugal presents its own food guide: Portuguese Food Wheel and guidelines aimed at improving the nutritional status of the population. In addition to public policies, such as campaigns, label decoder and food product reformulation, there are regional and local initiatives, to promote healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle.
