Digital Tools for the Promotion of Healthy and Sustainable Eating Behaviors in the General Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background/Objectives: Promoting healthy and sustainable food choices is critical to address environmental and public health challenges, prevent health issues and enhance psychological well-being. Technological tools have shown promising results in supporting the adoption of many sustainable practices and in improving dysfunctional eating behaviors in clinical psychological settings. However, their potential to encourage healthy and sustainable eating choices in the general population through psychological or behavioral strategies remains understudied and unsystematically observed. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to (1) investigate digital tools and interventions aimed at improving healthy and sustainable eating behaviors, and (2) categorize the psychological or behavioral strategies they implemented. Four databases (PsycINFO, PsycArticles, PubMed, ProQuest) were searched combining keywords on sustainable diets (e.g., “sustainable diet,” “food sustainability”) and technological tools (e.g., “virtual reality,” “mobile app,” “web app”). Results: N = 16 studies were included. N = 7 (44%) used mobile app-based tools, n = 6 (38%) were virtual reality, n = 2 (12%) were web platforms, and n = 1 (6%) was an instant-messaging system. Digital tools and interventions were useful in promoting healthy and sustainable eating behaviors by implementing psychological or behavioral strategies like awareness (n = 10, 63%), decision-making (n = 6, 38%), emotion regulation (n = 3, 19%), nudging (n = 5, 31%), self-efficacy (n = 5, 31%) and self-monitoring (n = 4, 25%). Only a few studies included follow-ups (n = 5, 31%). Conclusions: Findings suggest that digital technologies have the potential to improve healthy and sustainable eating behaviors in the general population. However, given heterogeneity and methodological issues of studies, more longitudinal and rigorous research is needed to confirm the effectiveness and long-term benefits of different technological tools.