Dimensions underlying public perceptions and misperceptions of food's environmental impact

Over the past two decades, retailers are providing more Private label foods (PL), which are directly competing with the National brand (NB) products. For years, PLs competed as generic and cheaper versions with their high-priced NB substitute. However, modern PLs have improved in product quality relative to NBs and are available in the premium, organic, and even produce sections with the goal to distinguish themselves from their competitors’ product lines. One of the fastest growing segments in the produce industry consists of triple-washed cello-packed spinach. Using a two-step Heckman model, we determine the impact of household purchase information, demographics, and food environment on PL spinach purchasing behavior. Given its regional dominance with regard to spinach production and fresh spinach consumption, we focus on households residing in the U.S. West. Results show that food environment is the main driver for PL spinach purchases. We determine that specialty stores might be traditional channels for purchasing organic PL spinach, while supercenters might take the role of the main outlet for conventional NBs. An understanding of what factors might encourage increased consumption of healthful foods is important to producers and marketers for developing effective strategies in order to reach beyond the traditional consumer base.

Choice of environment-friendly food packagings through argumentation systems and preferences

Impact of sustainability perception on consumption of organic meat and meat substitutes

Nutritional value in sustainability assessment of protein-rich ingredients and foods: A ‘farm-to-faeces’ approach

Exploring the Nutritional Profile and Cost of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives Compared with Dairy Milk in the UK with Consideration of Environmental Impact Data

Traditional Eastern diets are often based on grains, beans, and other healthful foods. It is usually low in red meat and rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and seafood [1]. According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, meat, fish, eggs, and milk. Each intake varies depending on individual characteristics such as age, gender, lifestyle, and level of physical activity. A healthy diet is essential because it provides a balanced diet to protect against many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer [2]. Healthy and sustainable food choices contribute to a series of Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 11, and SDG 12. These goals are to ensure food security, an improvement in health and well-being, sustainable cities, and communities, and lastly, responsible consumption and production [3].
 
 The aim of this study is to emphasize the impact of the Traditional Eastern diet on human health and the impact on environmental sustainability.
 
 An in-depth narrative literature review of the Traditional Eastern diet's health and environmental effects was conducted using secondary data collected from journals and conference proceedings using the keywords "Eastern diet", "Western diet", "environmental impact of food", "health impact of food", "globalization impact on food choices" and "food shifting".
 
 This review highlights the results of studies that prove that there are various positive and negative effects stemming from human daily diets. Eastern traditional diets have a variety of positive effects on human health such as able to reduce weight, reducing cholesterol levels, reducing blood glucose, reducing blood pressure, reducing the risk of colon cancer, and protecting against inflammation. The Traditional Eastern diet has a positive impact on the environment such as lower carbon emissions. However, there are still some negative effects of this food on the environment such as increased species extinction, eutrophication, global warming, acidification, water footprint, and land footprint even though it is not as bad as the consumption of unprocessed red meat food source. Table 1 shows the impact of food on the health and environment of the Eastern Traditional diet.
 In conclusion, while traditional Eastern diets also have positive health effects, reviews do not show significant differences in their environmental impact. Therefore, further study should be done to assess the environmental impact of traditional Eastern diet choices. This is because the choice of food consumed is very important for the environment to maintain its sustainability.

Based on the World Health Organization’s definition(1), sustainable healthy diets are “dietary patterns that promote all dimensions of an individuals’ health and well-being; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe and equitable; and are culturally acceptable”. Over the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in the environmental sustainability of diets, but little attention has been paid to the nutrient adequacy, consumer acceptability and affordability of such diets. Such knowledge is particularly scarce in New Zealand where approximately 40% of adults and 20% of children may live under severe to moderate food insecurity(2,3). The iOTA Model® is a dietary optimisation tool designed to fill this gap by bringing the various aspects of diet sustainability together and providing evidence-based knowledge on not just the environmental impact of food but also its economic and nutritional sustainability at a national level. The iOTA Model® was constructed using mixed integer linear programming by integrating New Zealand-specific dietary data. This underlying data was obtained from various open-access sources including but not limited to New Zealand’s Food Composition Database, New Zealand Total Diet Study and the nutrient reference values published by the Ministry of Health. Diet-related greenhouse gas emissions were also incorporated into the model based on the data obtained from the scientific literature. Results derived from the preliminary development of the iOTA Model® suggest that meeting nutrient adequacy is possible with minimal dietary pattern changes in New Zealand. It is also evident that adhering to dietary guidelines may provide 26% reduction in dietary greenhouse gas emissions. This is consistent with the findings of previous studies showing that following dietary guidelines alone assists reduction of dietary greenhouse gas emissions. Further features such as digestibility and bioavailability considerations have also been incorporated as part of the iOTA Model®, allowing for a more accurate estimation of nutrient supply. The model will be available as an open-access tool and will allow users to explore various sustainability implications of their diet.

PurposeNutri-Score aims to aid consumers in making informed food choices based on nutritional quality. To guide consumers regarding both the nutritional quality and environmental impact of foods, it would be beneficial when Nutri-Score could also discriminate foods by environmental impact. This study investigated the association of Nutri-Score with the environmental impact indicators greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and blue water consumption.MethodsNutri-Score classifications were calculated for generic foods of the Dutch Food Composition Database, combined with GHG emissions (kg CO2 equivalents) and blue water consumption (m3) of foods using the Dutch Life Cycle Assessment Food database (n = 1,611). Spearman correlations were calculated between Nutri-Score (expressed as the numerical final score and as points for algorithm components) and the environmental impact indicators. This was performed by Nutri-Score algorithm (i.e. general foods, added fats, nuts and seeds, and beverages) and food group. Selected food groups were studied further.ResultsNutri-Score (final score) correlated significantly with GHG emissions for general foods (r = 0.29), added fats, nuts and seeds (r = 0.25), and negatively with blue water consumption for added fats, nuts and seeds (r=-0.51). Saturated fatty acids and protein were significantly correlated with GHG emissions (r = 0.52 and r = 0.43) for general foods, and some general food groups with GHG emissions and blue water consumption, namely bread (r = 0.60 and r = 0.53) and savoury sauces (r = 0.52 and r = 0.53).ConclusionCurrently, Nutri-Score’s ability to discriminate foods according to environmental impact is limited. To use Front-of-Pack labeling to guide consumers on both nutritional quality and environmental impact, exploration of revisions to Nutri-Score or the use of additional tools is needed.

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 198, Issue 1 p. 18-19 Perspective Australia's dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate” Correction(s) for this article Australia's dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate” Linda A Selvey MB BS(Hons), PhD, FAFPHM, Marion G Carey MB BS(Hons), MPH, FAFPHM, Volume 198Issue 3Medical Journal of Australia pages: 140-140 First Published online: February 18, 2013 Linda A Selvey MB BS(Hons), PhD, FAFPHM, Corresponding Author Linda A Selvey MB BS(Hons), PhD, FAFPHM Deputy Head [email protected] School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorMarion G Carey MB BS(Hons), MPH, FAFPHM, Marion G Carey MB BS(Hons), MPH, FAFPHM VicHealth Senior Research Fellow Monash Sustainability Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC.Search for more papers by this author Linda A Selvey MB BS(Hons), PhD, FAFPHM, Corresponding Author Linda A Selvey MB BS(Hons), PhD, FAFPHM Deputy Head [email protected] School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorMarion G Carey MB BS(Hons), MPH, FAFPHM, Marion G Carey MB BS(Hons), MPH, FAFPHM VicHealth Senior Research Fellow Monash Sustainability Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC.Search for more papers by this author First published: 21 January 2013 https://doi.org/10.5694/mja12.10528Citations: 23Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume198, Issue1January 2013Pages 18-19 RelatedInformation

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 199, Issue 7 p. 456-457 Letter Australia's dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate” Correction(s) for this article Australia's dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate” Alexandra McManus, Volume 199Issue 10Medical Journal of Australia pages: 661-661 First Published online: November 18, 2013 Caleb Gardner, Corresponding Author Caleb Gardner Program Leader, Fisheries [email protected] Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Caleb Gardner, Corresponding Author Caleb Gardner Program Leader, Fisheries [email protected] Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 07 October 2013 https://doi.org/10.5694/mja13.10034Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume199, Issue7General practice issueOctober 2013Pages 456-457 RelatedInformation

A focused ethnographic study on the role of health and sustainability in food choice decisions

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. Besides tackling climate change and the fight to reduce inequality, the SDG number 12 is specifically focused to develop strategies toward food sustainability. The aim of this study, aligned with SDG number 12, was to analyze the level of knowledge and perceptions of food sustainability in a university community from Spain. A descriptive cross-sectional study, based on an online questionnaire, was carried out between July and November 2021 with convenience sampling. The survey included 28 items and was distributed among students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff from a Spanish university. A total of 1,220 participants completed the survey. 70.4% of the respondents heard about the environmental impact of food and more than 50% were aware of the existence of the SDGs. The different aspects related to diet that concerned them the most were food waste, plastic usage, and environmental impact. They reported that a sustainable diet should be mainly based on local and seasonal products and with a low environmental impact as well as no or the minimum food waste. When asked if they were following a sustainable diet, 77% answered affirmatively. Moreover, the food groups more involved in a sustainable diet should be vegetables and fruits, olive oil, legumes, and whole grains. Regarding food waste, 60% of the surveyed population claimed to generate it at home, with the use of leftovers and planning shopping and meals being some of the most important domestic actions to avoid it. Further initiatives must be implemented to increase the level of knowledge as well as to raise the awareness on the importance to translate it into individual and collective actions that allow a shift toward more sustainable practices.

The triple burden of obesity, undernutrition and climate change calls for systemic action to find solutions that co-benefit human and planetary health. A Nutritional Life Cycle Assessment (nLCA) can be used as a tool to assess the health- and environmental impact of foods and guide a transition to healthy and sustainable diets. Thus far, nLCAs have used the nutrient content of foods to represent their health impact, whereas the disease risk linked to under- or overconsuming certain nutrients, foods or food groups has been largely underutilized. This study explored, for the Dutch diet, the correlation between an indicator for essential nutrient density and for the disease burden of individual food items, i.e., a Nutrient Rich Food index with 24 essential nutrients (NRF24) and the HEalth Nutritional Index (HENI), respectively. NRF24 and HENI scores were calculated for food items contained in the Dutch Food Composition database. A very weak correlation between NRF24 and HENI values confirmed that nutrient density and disease burden should be considered as complementary and thus, that a high nutrient density does not directly imply a low disease burden, and vice versa. Moreover, the direction and strength of the correlation was food group-dependent, with negative correlations between NRF24 and HENI mainly observed for animal-based products, with the exception of dairy. In addition, the correlations between the nutrition-based indicators and indicators for greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water use were mostly weak, which stresses the need to include health impact in traditional LCAs because foods with a high nutrient density and low disease burden can imply trade-offs due to high environmental impacts. We therefore conclude that multiple indicators for health and environmental impact should be considered side-by-side in nLCA to avoid the risk of missing important information and trade-offs when assessing the performance of individual food items for healthy and sustainable diets.

Background Suboptimal diets continue to be a major contributor to the global burden of disease, while food production contributes to climate change and environmental degradation. Food systems account for >30% of anthropogenic global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), and around 70% of freshwater use. Research on healthier diets having lower environmental impacts has been inconsistent. This study aimed to explore the association between environmental footprints and diet quality among older Irish adults. Methods The Mitchelstown Cohort was a cross-sectional study conducted between 2010 and 2011 in County Cork, Ireland. Dietary data was available for 1,862 participants. Adherence to three a priori defined diet quality metrics (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean diet (MD), and the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015)) were measured. Those in quartile four (Q4) of each metric were the most adherent to the respective dietary recommendations. Environmental impact of foods was quantified by linking food items to GHGE and blue water (BW) use impact factors, based on life cycle assessment (LCA) literature. Results The median daily diet in Ireland was associated with 6.8 kg CO2-equivalents per day and 425.1 litres of blue water. Males had significantly higher dietary GHGE but a lower water footprint compared to females (P < 0.001). Higher diet quality was inversely associated with GHGE according to the DASH and MD diet (adjusted for age, sex, and energy intake). Adherence to the DASH and MD diet was positively associated with BW use. No association between the HEI and GHGE and BW use was found in the adjusted model. Conclusions Irish dietary patterns are unhealthy and unsustainable. Higher quality diets reduced GHGE but increased water use. Future research must focus on identifying culturally-acceptable, optimised dietary patterns, where health and impact indicators align to curtail environmental burdens potentially transferring. Key messages • The healthiness of a diet is dependent in part on the constructs and scoring criteria of the diet quality metric used. The metrics have conceptual differences which may explain heterogeneous findings. • The sustainability of diets is dependent on the environmental indicator(s) assessed. Future dietary patterns must be healthy, culturally-acceptable, equitable, and align across multiple indicators.

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 199, Issue 7 p. 457-459 Letter Australia's dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate” Linda A Selvey, Corresponding Author Linda A Selvey Associate Professor [email protected] School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Linda A Selvey, Corresponding Author Linda A Selvey Associate Professor [email protected] School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA.Correspondence: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 07 October 2013 https://doi.org/10.5694/mja13.10969Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume199, Issue7General practice issueOctober 2013Pages 457-459 RelatedInformation