Trends in Public Interest in Dietary Patterns in Portugal (2018–2024): An Analysis Using Google Trends

With the growing influence of digital platforms on nutrition information-seeking behaviour, understanding population interest patterns in the online environment has become increasingly important. This study analysed public interest in five popular dietary patterns in Portugal — the ketogenic diet, Mediterranean diet, detox diet, paleo diet, and intermittent fasting — between 2018 and 2024, using data from Google Trends. Monthly and regional data were processed in Excel and statistically analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics. The results revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) among the diets, with intermittent fasting consistently leading public interest across all regions and throughout the study period. The ketogenic diet also showed high levels of interest, whereas the Mediterranean diet, despite its strong scientific validation, exhibited lower informational visibility. The regional analysis confirmed significant geographical variation in dietary preferences. These findings reinforce the utility of Google Trends as a digital infodemiology tool in the field of nutrition and underscore the need for more effective communication strategies to promote balanced, evidence-based dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, in a digital landscape shaped by rapidly circulating trends.