>> ADEMA celebrates Dietitian-Nutritionist Day
>>> Students and teachers have been informing people outside the El Corte Inglés department store on Avenidas about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet.
>> Studies by the ADEMA-IUNICS Research Group confirm that more than half of the population of the Balearic Islands does not follow a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet or engage in regular physical activity
This morning, students from the Human Nutrition and Dietetics degree program at ADEMA shared information with the public at various locations within the El Corte Inglés department store on Avenidas, highlighting key aspects of reliable, evidence-based nutrition. ADEMA launched this new outreach initiative as part of Dietitian-Nutritionist Day, explained Dr. Alicia Julibert, Head of Studies for the Nutrition and Dietetics degree program, “with the aim of improving the population’s nutritional literacy and providing practical tools to recognize reliable and accurate information in an environment saturated with confusing and contradictory messages.”
The students prepared various information points where they explained basic nutrition concepts, debunking some of the most common myths circulating on social media and showing examples of messages that, although presented as healthy advice, can cause confusion or health risks. They also offered practical information on how to create a balanced meal and how to recognize quality eating patterns, using educational resources that facilitate understanding of the scientific evidence.
Dr. Alicia Julibert emphasized that “these types of activities have a very high educational value for future professionals. Facing real questions from the public forces them to translate academic content into clear and useful explanations, and strengthens their communication skills, which are essential for the practice of the profession. Furthermore, it is worth noting that nutritional literacy is one of the major challenges today, and that university education plays a key role in contributing to public health.”
On the other hand, the action also incorporated messages in line with the recommendations of the General Council of Official Colleges of Dietitians Nutritionists, recalling that food misinformation has become one of the main public health challenges, due to the volume of unreliable content that is spread on social networks.
The ADEMA-IUNICS Research Group conducted a study analyzing the eating habits and lifestyles of people aged 18 to 69 in the Balearic Islands during 2022 and 2023. The results show that more than half of the population does not follow a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and does not engage in physical activity with the recommended frequency. This combination of factors is associated with an increased cardiometabolic risk, which includes problems such as obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, elevated atherogenic indices, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
The president of the ADEMA University School, Diego González, emphasized that these types of initiatives reflect the center’s commitment to an educational model that connects academic training with the social environment. He also argued that student participation in outreach projects helps strengthen their professional development and brings nutritional science closer to the general public.
The presentation of the campaign was attended by the representative of the Official College of Dietitians and Nutritionists of the Balearic Islands, Concepción Pizá, the general director of Health and Consumer Affairs of the Palma City Council, María del Carmen Esparza, and the director of Institutional Relations of El Corte Inglés Balears, Antoni Sánchez, as well as members of the teaching team and students of the Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics of ADEMA.