Impact of a Scalable, Multi-Campus "Foodprint" Seminar on College Students' Dietary Intake and Dietary Carbon Footprint.

Hannah Malan,Sara A Pace,Benji Lee Reade Malagueño,Jennifer A Jay,Christopher D Gardner,May C Wang,Ghislaine Amsler Challamel,Edward Spang,Dara Silverstein,Wendelin Slusser,Charlie Hoffs

doi:10.3390/nu12092890

Abstract

Background: Dietary patterns affect both human health and environmental sustainability. Prior research found a ten-unit course on food systems and environmental sustainability shifted dietary intake and reduced dietary carbon footprint among college students. This research evaluated the impact of a similar, more scalable one-unit Foodprint seminar taught at multiple universities. Methods: We used a quasi-experimental pre-post nonequivalent comparison group design (n = 176). As part of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, research was conducted at three university campuses in California over four academic terms. All campuses used the same curriculum, which incorporates academic readings, group discussions, and skills-based exercises to evaluate the environmental footprint of different foods. The comparison group comprised students taking unrelated one-unit courses at the same universities. A questionnaire was administered at the beginning and end of each term. Results: Students who took the Foodprint seminar significantly improved their reported vegetable intake by 4.7 weekly servings relative to the comparison group. They also reported significantly decreasing intake of ruminant meat and sugar-sweetened beverages. As a result of dietary shifts, Foodprint seminar students were estimated to have significantly decreased their dietary carbon footprint by 14%. Conclusions: A scalable, one-unit Foodprint seminar may simultaneously promote environmental sustainability and human health.

Highlights

Dietary patterns affect both human health and environmental sustainability
We developed and studied a one-unit seminar course taught at multiple universities through the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative (MCURC)
There were no statistically significant differences between the comparison and intervention groups, except for academic quarter: A greater proportion of students in the comparison group participated in the study during the Fall quarter (67% vs. 52%, p = 0.04)

Summary

Introduction

Dietary patterns affect both human health and environmental sustainability. The World HealthOrganization notes that a healthy diet is a sustainable diet and recommends a dietary pattern rich in Nutrients 2020, 12, 2890; doi:10.3390/nu12092890 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrientsNutrients 2020, 12, 2890 plant-based foods with limited consumption of meat and meat products [1]. Dietary patterns affect both human health and environmental sustainability. The livestock sector alone contributes 14.5% of GHG emissions, which is more than the entire transportation sector [5]. Ruminant livestock such as cows and sheep produce especially high amounts of GHG due to low energy conversion and enteric fermentation [6]. One serving of beef has about 50 times the carbon footprint of a serving of beans [7]. Prior research found a ten-unit course on food systems and environmental sustainability shifted dietary intake and reduced dietary carbon footprint among college students. This research evaluated the impact of a similar, more scalable one-unit Foodprint seminar taught at multiple universities

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion