Arch. Endocrinol. Metab. 2025;69(1): e240446
A paradigm shift in nutritional clinical practice: filling a gap on the implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population
DOI: 10.20945/2359-4292-2024-0446
The pursuit of understanding the role of diet in the global epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases has transformed nutrition science over the past decades. Studies focusing on isolated nutrients, such as fats or sugars, proved inadequate in explaining the emerging epidemiological landscape (). This reductionist perspective was overcome by a broader focus on dietary patterns, initially supported by large clinical trials that demonstrated the protective effects of the Mediterranean diet in reducing the risk of several diseases (). A major advancement came when researchers from the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health at the University of São Paulo (NUPENS/USP) proposed a novel food classification system, based on the extent and purpose of industrial food processing, opening ways for a new perspective on dietary patterns studies (). Today, there is solid evidence that the intake of ultra-processed foods, one of the categories in this classification, is a significant driver of the global epidemic of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases ().
In Brazil, this evidence has been translated into public policy through the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population (hereinafter called Guide), a document developed by the Ministry of Health that provides dietary recommendations tailored to the Brazilian population (). The Guide, now in its tenth year, emphasizes the message “always prefer natural and minimally processed foods and their culinary preparations over ultra-processed foods”, encouraging the traditional Brazilian diet, rich in staples like rice and beans, to form the foundation of our diet. Moreover, the Guide moves away from recommendations based on quantities and portions, operating on the understanding that, except in specific cases, our natural mechanisms of hunger and satiety are sufficient to regulate food intake once ultra-processed foods, which are designed to be consumed in excess, are excluded.
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