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Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology

Table of Contents

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W

Dietary Acculturation

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.

Dietary Pattern

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.

Dietary-Related Interoception

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

Distal action

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

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

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

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).

Editorial Board

Executive and Associate Editors

Co-Principal Editors:
Ephi Morphew-Lu
The Center for Nutritional Psychology
Shereen Behairy
The Center for Nutritional Psychology
Associate Editors: Nabila Pervaiz
The Center for Nutritional Psychology
Technical Support: Tahir Yasin
The Center for Nutritional Psychology

Subject Editors

Psychology: Vladimir Hedrih
University of Niš, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology
Nutrition and Dietetics: Eileen Santana
The Center for Nutritional Psychology
Nutritional Immunology: Emilia Vassiloupolou
Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece and Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy