NOVA Medical School, in partnership with Fundação Casa Hermes and Costa Nova, presents the T-shaped Plate, a food education tool that has now been materialized in a ceramic piece, combining science, education, and design, created to reinforce health literacy with a focus on food.
Inspired by the Mediterranean Diet, the T-shaped Plate provides a simple and visual representation of the recommended proportions for a balanced meal: half of the plate should be filled with vegetables; a quarter with cereals, cereal products, tubers, and legumes; and another quarter with meat, fish, or eggs. In addition to representing these proportions, the T-shaped plate serves as a practical guide for composing everyday meals, promoting healthy choices at home, but also in educational and institutional contexts.
The T-shaped plate reinforces the Medical School's commitment to the community: "This is an example of how science can be translated into simple, intuitive, and useful tools for the population. We want to empower people to make choices that promote health, well-being, and longevity, making knowledge accessible and applicable in everyday life," says Conceição Calhau, nutritionist and Professor at NOVA Medical School.
Rita Gíria, director general of the Casa Hermes Foundation, highlights the cultural and educational contribution of the project: “This dish symbolizes the union between scientific knowledge, history, and education. It is a concrete way of bringing the community closer to healthier eating habits, while at the same time valuing the culture of the table.”
“We believe in the power of everyday objects to inspire behavior. This project embodies the vision of the three entities and brilliantly combines scientific knowledge with educational experience and aesthetic sensitivity. The T-shaped plate is nothing more than the meeting point between scientific rigor and aesthetic creation, offering a practical and intuitive approach that facilitates more conscious food choices in everyday life,” says Liliana Cachim, from Costa Nova.
Recent evidence shows that poor eating habits are one of the main modifiable factors associated not only with obesity but also with the burden of disease in Portugal.
In 2021, they were the fifth risk factor with the greatest impact on the loss of healthy life years and the third that contributed most to mortality, mainly through cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and neoplasms.
Among the dietary factors most responsible for this are low consumption of whole grains and fruit and high consumption of red and processed meat and salt, which continue to negatively influence the health profile of the population.
Obesity continues to be a public health challenge in Portugal, currently affecting 28.7% of the adult population and 13.5% of children, with more than two-thirds of adults (67.6%) and one-third of children (31.9%) living with excess weight.
In this context, it is a priority to develop and provide simple, accessible, and evidence-based food education tools that support citizens, families, and professionals in adopting healthier and more sustainable food choices.
Available in versions for adults and children, the Prato em T can be purchased at the NOVA Medical School online store, at Costa Nova's physical and online stores, and at the SKOPE - Museum of Medicine and Health store in Aveiro.