Abstract
China faces increasing challenges in producing sufficient food sustainably while confronting a worsening overweight and obesity crisis caused partly by overeating. Building on the China Health and Nutrition Survey data, this study estimated the agricultural and environmental implications of overeating based on human metabolic theory and life cycle assessment. The results show that the average excess food intake per person is twice the amount of household edible food waste (53.85 vs. 26.88 g/capita/day). The total excessive food intake is equivalent to 18.7 Mt of annual cereal production, approximately 4.3 times China's recent annual cereal production growth (4.4 Mt). Excessive food intake also embodies substantial carbon, water, energy, and ecological footprints, amounting to 39.15 Mt CO2e, 31.40 Gm3, 11.18 Mtce, 544.69 × 108 gm2, respectively, significantly exceeding the corresponding domestic food waste footprints. Cereals and meats have a dominant role in excessive food intake and related environmental impacts, with significant differences linked to demographic characteristics and urbanization levels. China has implemented various national policies, including an anti-food-waste law, to address agri-food sustainability challenges. This study suggests that addressing overeating can significantly enhance China's ability to tackle these challenges and improve public health outcomes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
