Cropland Footprints of Australian Dietary Choices.

Bradley Ridoutt,Javier Navarro Garcia,Kim Anastasiou,Gilly Hendrie,Danielle Baird

doi:10.3390/nu12051212

Abstract

Food systems vitally depend on croplands, which are a scarce natural resource. Croplands are also heterogeneous, differing in productive capability and in environmental context. Some are in regions of high biodiversity conservation importance, others in regions vulnerable to food insecurity. In this study, life cycle assessment was used to quantify cropland scarcity footprints, cropland biodiversity footprints and cropland malnutrition footprints for 9341 individual Australian adult daily diets. Dietary cropland scarcity footprints averaged 7.1 m2yr-e person−1 day−1, exceeding a target of 6.1 m2yr-e person−1 day−1, consistent with the proposed global cropland planetary boundary of 15% of the ice-free land area. Discretionary foods, which are energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods high in saturated fat, added sugars and salt, and alcohol and are not essential to a healthy diet, made the largest contribution, followed by fresh meats and alternatives, breads and cereals, fruit, dairy and alternatives and vegetables. Around 45% of the variation in cropland footprint between individuals was explained by differences in total dietary energy intake. Diets characterised by higher diet quality and lower cropland scarcity footprint required only 4.2 m2yr-e person−1 day−1 and recommended diets based on the food choices of this subgroup required 5.9 m2yr-e person−1 day−1. Eating within the global cropland planetary boundary appears realistic if Australians greatly reduce their intake of discretionary foods and moderate their food choices within the “meat and alternatives” food group.

Highlights

IntroductionFood-based dietary guidelines have been developed in more than 100 countries [1]
Food-based dietary guidelines have been developed in more than 100 countries [1].Traditionally, these guidelines have been designed to support food consumption that is healthy and nutritionally adequate
Our objective was to identify dietary patterns existing within the Australian community that are characterised by higher diet quality and lower environmental impacts related to cropland use

Summary

Introduction

Food-based dietary guidelines have been developed in more than 100 countries [1]. These guidelines have been designed to support food consumption that is healthy and nutritionally adequate. There are calls for dietary guidelines to evolve by taking on the additional objective of supporting patterns of food consumption that have lower environmental impact [2]. The food system is a major source of environmental impact [3], and there is scope for dietary change to complement other environmental improvement strategies such as adopting more efficient farming practices, reducing production losses and avoiding food waste [4]. Croplands are a scarce natural resource and the conversion of forests and grasslands into new cropland is linked to losses of biodiversity

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion