Abstract
The excessive consumption of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), two vital nutrients for living organisms, is associated with negative environmental and health impacts. While food production contributes to a large amount of N and P loss to the environment, very little N and P is consumed as food. Food habits are affected by multiple regulations, including the dietary restrictions and dictates of various religions. In this study, religion-sensitive N-Calculator and P-Calculator approaches were used to determine the impact of religious dietary culture on the food N and P footprints of India in the major religious communities. Using 2013 data, the food N footprint of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists was 10.70, 11.45, 11.47, and 7.39 kg-N capita−1 year−1 (10.82 kg-N capita−1 year−1 was the national average), and the food P footprint was 1.46, 1.58, 1.04. and 1.58 kg-P capita−1 year−1 (1.48 kg-P capita−1 year−1 was the national average). The findings highlight the impact of individual choice on the N and P food footprints, and the importance of encouraging the followers of religion to follow a diet consistent with the food culture of that religion. The results of this study are a clear indication of the requirement for religion-sensitive analyses in the collecting of data pertinent to a particular country for use in making government policies designed to improve the recycling of food waste and the treatment of wastewater.
Highlights
Along with potassium (K), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients for all living organisms
The results indicate a lower N use efficiency (NUE) and P use efficiency (PUE) in food production in India
The major factors listed in these tables are characterized as either behavioral, technical or socioeconomic, in order to assess the influence of culture and religion on N and P footprints
Summary
Along with potassium (K), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients for all living organisms. The United Nations has reported an increase in the use of both N and P as fertilizers [1]. N and P inputs as fertilizers used in the production of food are substantially higher than the N and P constituents of the food consumed [2]. Reactive N, expressed as Nr (N species apart from N gas), in air, soil and water are essential for the growth of living things [3,4]. Excessive N and P in air and water is known to result in both environmental and health problems. Excessive P in the water results in eutrophication and algal blooms, which have been shown to have a growth-limiting effect on diverse ecosystems [5,6]. The toxins produced by several algal species have been shown to result in the death of aquatic life [7]
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