title: European food-based dietary guidelines: a comparison and update.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review and update information about food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) used by European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  FBDGs from 34 European countries were collected and their pictorial representations, food groupings, and associated messages of healthy eating and behavior were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FBDGs from 34 European countries were collected, representing 64% (34 of 53) of all European countries; 74% (28 of 34) are European Union members. Of these FBDGs, 67% (23 of 34) adopt the pyramid as a food guide illustration, and classify foods into five or six groups. The main food groups are grains, vegetables, fruits, and vegetables and fruits as a unified group. Some differences include the modality of food classification. Despite dietary pattern results from geographic conditions and cultural (ethnic) heritages, most nutritional key points are similar among the different European FBDGs: In particular, the basic message is to consume adequate amounts of grains, vegetables, and fruits with moderate intake of fats, sugars, meats, caloric beverages, and salt. Other healthy behaviors are frequently but not always indicated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FBDGs still seem insufficient as far as ethnic peculiarities, agreement on how to group foods, and subgroup population nutritional requirements.
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: montagnese@ceinge.unina.it.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montagnese
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santarpia
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buonifacio
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nardelli
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Caldara
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Eufemia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Contaldo
authors.affiliation: Interuniversity Center for Obesity and Eating Disorders, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pasanisi
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D005502:Food; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements / Q000502:physiology*; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Dietary guidelines; European countries; FBDGs; Healthy diet; Noncommunicable diseases