Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Blue Water Use of Dutch Diets and Its Association with Health

Reina E Vellinga,Anne Hollander,Sander Biesbroek,Mirjam Van De Kamp,Elisabeth H M Temme,Ido B Toxopeus,Elias De Valk,Caroline T M Van Rossum

doi:10.3390/su11216027

Reina E Vellinga, Anne Hollander + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216027

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Abstract

Food consumption patterns affect the environment as well as public health, and monitoring is needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Dutch food consumption patterns for environmental (greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and blue water use) and health aspects (Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015), according to age, gender, and consumption moments. Food consumption data for 4313 Dutch participants aged 1 to 79 years were assessed in 2012 to 2016, by two non-consecutive 24-h recalls. The environmental impact of foods was quantified using a life cycle assessment for, e.g., indicators of GHG emissions and blue water use. The healthiness of diet, operationalized by the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015, was assessed for 2078 adults aged ≥19 years. The average daily diet in the Netherlands was associated with 5.0 ± 2.0 kg CO2-equivalents of GHG emissions and 0.14 ± 0.08 m3 of blue water use. Meat, dairy and non-alcoholic beverages contributed most to GHG emissions, and non-alcoholic beverages, fruits, and meat to blue water use. More healthy diets were associated with a lower GHG emission and higher blue water use. Different associations of environmental indicators (GHG emissions and blue water use) with health aspects of diets need to be considered when aligning diets for health and sustainability.

Highlights

The effect of diet on health and the environment has led to growing concerns [1,2] and should be addressed globally as well as on national and regional levels [3,4]
The aim of this study was to evaluate the Dutch food consumption patterns for greenhouse gas emission and blue water use according to age and gender, food groups, and consumption moments, and the association with healthiness of diets according to the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015
Nutritional aspects and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in kg CO2-eq and blue water use in m3 per person per day of diets were assessed for the total population and for children aged 1–8 years, children aged 9–18 years, men and women (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The effect of diet on health and the environment has led to growing concerns [1,2] and should be addressed globally as well as on national and regional levels [3,4]. The link between diet and human health is well established while the link between diet and a sustainable food system is less known but of major importance [1]. A growing body of evidence shows the impact current western dietary patterns and global food production systems have on our environment [5]. The production and consumption of foods is responsible for 30% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [6]. It is a major determinant of biodiversity loss, land use [7], and freshwater use [8]. Changes in our food system need to be made, aiming to reduce the impact on planetary boundaries (climate change, biodiversity loss) while optimizing nutritional quality of diets (taking into account the population growth and “expansion” of nutritional-related chronic diseases) [1,11]

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