Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41787557›Full record

ArticleIsrael journal of health policy research2026

Reimagining Israel's food system: balancing mediterranean diet recommendations with national food security, sovereignty and resilience.

Ella Berkovich, Stav Shapira, Moran Koren, Nimrod Talmon, Dorit Nitzan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Israel journal of health policy research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ella BerkovichSchool of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Stav ShapiraSchool of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Moran KorenDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Nimrod TalmonDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Dorit NitzanSchool of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. doritni@bgu.ac.il.

Funding

MOST - the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology 0006058
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study examines Israel's food system's security, sovereignty, resilience, and sustainability using the Mediterranean Diet (MD) lens. The current global context, marked by supply chain disruptions, climate change impacts, and geopolitical tensions, highlights the critical importance of resilient food systems. We analyzed Israel's food system using FAO Food Balance Sheets (FBS) (2010-2020 trends) and Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) production and trade data (2021) to assess food availability, import dependency ratios (IDR), and alignment with Mediterranean Diet guidelines.

methodsA literature search was conducted using PubMed, Semantic Scholar, EBSCO Discovery, and Google Scholar, aiming to agree on the food-based guidelines of MD and their impact on health outcomes. Studies from the past 10 years with the keywords "Mediterranean diet" and "meta-analysis" were included. The Israeli agricultural production data from 2010 to 2020 were drawn from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Import dependence was calculated by converting product quantities from tonnes to grams per person per day (annual quantity × 10 million people ÷ 365 days).

resultsIsrael demonstrates significant import dependency across critical food groups, with 90% of cereals, 87% of fish, 82% of nuts, and 65% of added fats sourced internationally. While nearly self-sufficient in poultry and dairy, chickens and cows grown in Israel depend on imported feed. Moreover, the country's food supply significantly deviates from the MD recommendations. Notably, there is an undersupply of nature-based proteins, including legumes.

conclusionThe results emphasize the advantages of shifting towards more locally produced, plant-based food and feed, especially in nature-based proteins. Embracing an MD-aligned food system would concurrently tackle the challenges of public health, food security, resilience, and environmental sustainability. These findings hold global significance for countries confronting similar issues in reconciling nutritional recommendations with food security needs. Future strategies should concentrate on policy reforms, agricultural investments, and public involvement to strengthen Israel's food sovereignty and nutritional landscape.

Indexed as

Diet, MediterraneanFood SecurityFood SupplyNutrition PolicyHumansIsraelFood Balance Sheets (FBS)Food SecurityFood SovereigntyFood Systems ResilienceImport Dependency (IDR)Mediterranean Diet (MD)One Health ApproachSustainable Nutrition

Identifiers

PMID41787557
PMCPMC12964903

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.