An integrated assessment of environmental sustainability and nutrient availability of food consumption patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), historical shifts away from traditional, plant-sourced food production and consumption patterns may undermine both nutritional status and environmental sustainability. Although agricultural intensification and increasingly animal-centric dietary preferences in the region are well-documented, their influence on environmental degradation remains unknown. This study aimed to 1) characterize the environmental impacts of current food consumption patterns in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and 2) identify food groups that minimize impact while maintaining adequate nutrient availability. Apparent regional food consumption was derived using data from the FAO's Food Balance Sheets on per capita food availability and levels of imported and local food production. Region-specific life cycle assessment data on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), land use, and freshwater consumption were leveraged to estimate total, food group-level, and nutrient-specific environmental impacts. Annual overall GHGEs were highest in Caribbean food consumption patterns (2521.2 kg/capita), largely derived from meat (26.7%) and fruit (23.8%) production. Land use (1941.0 m2/capita) and water consumption (2060.8 m3/capita), in contrast, were highest for the South American pattern, owing to high consumption of meat and dairy. Across the regions, meat constituted 7.5%-12.7% of food consumption yet accounted for as much as 73.1% of GHGEs, 56.6% of land use, and 54.2% of water consumption. In contrast, legumes and seeds, cereals, roots, and vegetables demonstrated overall low environmental impacts, particularly relative to their contributions to dietary protein, iron, and zinc availability. Findings point to the capacity of plant-sourced food consumption to minimize environmental harm without necessarily jeopardizing nutrient availability in LAC. Local agriculture can contribute to food system sustainability by producing diversified plant-sourced foods, cornerstones of many traditional food customs, and mitigating the impacts of industrialized livestock operations and imported, animal-centric dietary habits.