Development and Implementation of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in the Slovak Republic ^†

Abstract

Nutrition plays a fundamental role in preventing chronic non-communicable diseases and promoting overall health. In response to the absence of official dietary recommendations in the Slovak Republic, a collective of authors collaborated with state health institutions develop Food-based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) for adults, focusing on food groups and scientifically based information about nutrition concerning individual requirements, with consideration for the basic characteristics of the health status of the Slovak population. The FBDGs were submitted in 2021–2022, divided into two parts (general and special—Štandardný postup na výkon prevencie: “Odporúčania pre stravu a výživu u dospelých”, “Odporúčania pre stravovanie a výživu u dospelých—špeciálna časť”), and were approved by the Ministry of Health SR and integrated into standard procedures for implementing prevention, supported by a grant from the Human Resources operational program of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Families (Development of the new and innovative guidelines for prevention and their implementation into medical practice). The FBDGs were methodologically prepared following the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) recommendations, adapting European and non-European FBDGs to local Slovakia’s conditions. The proposal for Slovak FBDGs was the result of the consensus of the standard’s authors. The guidelines cover scientific information about various food groups, such as vegetables and fruits, starchy foods, protein-containing foods, and fats, deal with drinking regimens, and contain evidence about recommended food patterns, food hygiene, and food labelling. The recommendations emphasize the protective effects of a properly set lifestyle throughout an individual’s life, including the significance of regular and reasonably intense physical activity, stress management, proper sleeping characteristics, absence of abuses, and limiting a sedentary lifestyle. In 2023, the authors plan to prepare a third part for the recommendations as an educational publication with visual aids to enhance the food and nutritional literacy of the public. This effort aims to support individual and population health and prevent diseases in Slovakia. The guidelines will serve as a resource for health professionals, policymakers, institutions, and media, enabling the protection of health, preventive and nutritional policies and programs, and advice to improve the population’s health. By providing comprehensive guidelines, the FBDGs will contribute to reducing the occurrence and consequences of chronic non-communicable diseases in the Slovak Republic.