Raymond Gemen

European Food Information Council (EUFIC) · Nutrition & Health

Food systems are not fit for purpose, transgressing planetary boundaries, causing unhealthy consumption patterns and are rife with inequality. Research and Innovation (R&I) are central to tackling these food systems challenges, yet R&I systems are equally not fit for purpose, often lacking systemic and participatory approaches to food systems trans...

The dominant approaches to public health policy on childhood obesity are based on the neoliberal emphasis of personal choice and individual responsibility. We study adolescents’ (N = 81) beliefs about responsibility for childhood obesity as a public health issue, through an innovative participatory method, PlayDecide, organised in two countries: th...

The field of Mobile health (mHealth), which includes mobile phone applications (apps), is growing rapidly and has the potential to transform healthcare by increasing its quality and efficiency. The present paper focuses particularly on mobile technology for body weight management, including mobile phone apps for weight loss and the available eviden...

Europe recognises the need for technological innovation along with the importance of bridging the gap between science and society. The European Commission has developed a strategy to foster public engagement and a sustained two-way dialogue between science and civil society, and has set up a framework for Responsible Research and Innovation. The EU...

Herbs, herbal extracts or phytochemicals are broadly used as foods, drugs and as traditional medicines. These are well regulated in Europe, with thorough controls on both safety and efficacy or validity of health claims. However, the distinction between medicines and foods with health claims is not always clear. In addition, there are several cases...

Epidemiological and animal data show associations between whole grain and dietary fiber intakes and disease risk reduction. Dietary fiber can be considered a "black box" since its molecular structure can vary significantly. Limited data are available linking the health effects of dietary fiber to certain molecular structures. The present review was...