Dietary acculturation is the process by which individuals or groups from one culture come into contact with and adopt elements of another culture specifically related to diet. This exchange can involve changes in food choices, eating habits, and culinary practices, as individuals or groups adjust to and integrate aspects of a new dietary environment.

Rather than focusing on the intake of single nutrients, a dietary pattern refers to the overall combination of foods and beverages typically consumed by an individual or population over time. Examples of dietary patterns include the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats, or the Mind diet, which includes foods that may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, such as Alzheimer’s.

The perception of internal bodily states and sensations we experience in relation to dietary intake (both short- and long-term).

Action in which gut peptides exert influence beyond the gut, such as on the brain, liver, pancreas, and fatty tissues, by traveling through the blood circulation and binding on the cell’s surface receptor to exert their action on the target organs. For instance, cholecystokinin hormone (CCK) produced in the gut binds to receptors in the brain and causes neurotransmitter release that affects behavior and emotional regulation (Ballaz et al., 2017).

Distress is negative stress that results from situations perceived as threatening, harmful, or overwhelming. It can lead to anxiety, discomfort, and a decline in well-being, potentially impacting physical and mental health adversely.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that functions in various brain pathways, contributing to reward, motivation, and motor control. It plays a key role in the brain’s reward system, reinforcing behaviors associated with pleasure. Dopamine is also involved in regulating mood and emotions.

Dysbiosis is a term used to describe the imbalance in the composition and function of the microbes residing in particular environments such as skin, gut, or vagina. This imbalance results in the overgrowth of pathogenic microbes and a reduced population of beneficial microbes. (Tomasello et al., 2016).