The striatum is a brain region divided into dorsal (caudate nucleus and putamen) and ventral (including the nucleus accumbens) sections. It plays key roles in motor control, reward processing, reinforcement learning, and habit formation. In the context of eating behavior, the striatum contributes to the rewarding and motivational aspects of food: the ventral striatum processes the pleasure and reward derived from eating, reinforcing food-seeking behaviors, while the dorsal striatum is involved in the development of habitual eating patterns and routines.

Structural inequities refer to deeply ingrained societal and institutional disparities that limit access to resources, opportunities, and rights for certain groups, often based on factors like race, gender, or socioeconomic status. These inequities perpetuate unequal conditions and outcomes, influencing overall health, education, and social mobility.

Subcortical brain regions are structures located beneath the cerebral cortex, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, and hippocampus. These regions play crucial roles in regulating emotions, memory, movement, and basic life functions such as hunger and sleep.

In the Theory of Planned Behavior, subjective norms refer to the perceived social pressure to perform or not perform a behavior. The expectations and opinions of significant others, such as family, friends, or society, influence them.

Sustainable diets aim to promote health while minimizing the environmental impact of food production and consumption. These diets consider factors such as biodiversity, climate change, and resource conservation, emphasizing the importance of making environmentally conscious food choices.

A symbiotic relationship is a relationship or interaction between organisms of different species that involves the exchange of material or energy. The specificity of symbiosis is determined by whether either or both organisms benefit from the relationship (mutualism, commensalism, or parasitism) (Overstreet & Lotz, 2016).

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is a division of the autonomic nervous system that activates the”fight or flight” response. It prepares the body for intense physical activity in response to stress, releasing adrenaline, increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, and redirecting blood flow to vital organs.

Synapses are the junctions between neurons (nerve cells) where they communicate with each other. These connections allow neurons to transmit electrical or chemical signals, facilitating communication within the nervous system.

Synaptic plasticity refers to the ability of synapses (the connections between neurons) to strengthen or weaken over time in response to increases or decreases in their activity. It is a fundamental mechanism for learning and memory formation in the brain.

Synaptogenesis refers to the formation of synapses, the connections through which neurons transmit information to one another. This process is essential for the development of brain networks and the overall architecture of neural connectivity, supporting learning, memory, and brain function.