Main Items Research Articles

Healthcare costs in relation to kidney function among older people: the SCOPE study.

In this study, a comprehensive analysis of costs of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was performed, to understand factors associated with the economic burden of the disease in a multicentre international framework. The impact on costs of demographics, socio-economics, clinical, and functional variables was tested in 2204 subjects aged 75years or more attending outpatient clinics in Europe using a multicentre 2-year prospective cohort study. By means of collected resources consumption and unit cost data a comprehensive cost database was built and then investigated using multilevel regression modeling. Overall, hospitalization, medications and specialist visits were the main cost items, with a notable variability among countries. Estimated yearly costs were 4478€ ± 9804€, rising up to 6683€ ± 10,953€ for subjects with estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) < 30. Costs increased significantly according to the severity of the disease, gender and age. Clinical and functional covariates were also significantly associated with CKD-related total costs, even after correcting for the inter-country variability. Findings corroborate the importance of multidimensional assessment of participants with CKD, as multimorbidity and functional disability produce a detrimental impact on participant's prognosis and cost of care. Preservation of functional impairment and adequate management of comorbidities may thus help decreasing the overall consumption on health care resources in CKD patients, especially in older people.

Water Quality Analysis of a 300 Mvar Large-Scale Dual Internal Water Cooling Synchronous Condenser External Cooling System and Exploration of Optimal Water Treatment Agent Dosage at Different Temperatures

The external cooling water system of a 300 Mvar dual internal water cooling synchronous condenser at a certain ultra-high voltage converter station continued to exhibit significant scaling and corrosion, even with regular addition of scale and corrosion inhibitors. To solve this problem, the external cooling water of the synchronous condenser was sampled and tested periodically, with the main test items including conductivity, pH value, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity, and other water quality parameters directly related to corrosion and scaling. The trends of these parameters over time were also analyzed. The results showed that as the operation time increased, the cooling water became concentrated during multiple circulation cycles, and the various dissolved or suspended substances underwent a certain degree of enrichment. However, the addition of scale and corrosion inhibitors did not dynamically adjust according to the changes in water quality, and there was always an excessive dosage. Thus, using the external cooling water as the experimental sample, static scale inhibition tests and rotating coupon corrosion tests were conducted to evaluate the scale and corrosion inhibition performance of the commercial AS-582 scale and corrosion inhibitor used at this ultra-high voltage converter station under different conditions. Considering the more obvious corrosive tendency of this water sample, the focus was on testing its corrosion inhibition performance. When the dosage was 600 ppm, the scale inhibition effect was optimal, with an inhibition rate of 92.15%. The corrosion inhibition effect of this scale and the corrosion inhibitor were significantly related to water temperature. At 25 °C, when the dosage was 500 ppm, the corrosion inhibition effect was optimal, with an inhibition rate of 86.79%. However, when the temperature increased to 40 °C, the corrosion inhibition effect under each dosage was significantly worse, unable to meet the requirements, and the use of other corrosion inhibitors in combination was necessary. This work will provide a reference for the scientific use of scale and corrosion inhibitors.

Public perceptions related to healthcare preparedness to anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease in Japan

BackgroundThe approval of lecanemab, an anti-amyloid therapy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), necessitates addressing healthcare preparedness for disease-modifying treatment (DMT) to ensure appropriate, safe, and sustainable drug administration. Understanding public perceptions on this matter is crucial. We aimed to assess discrepancies and similarities in the perceptions of Japanese trial-ready cohort study (‘J-TRC webstudy’) participants and clinical specialists in the fields of dementia treatment and radiology, concerning affairs related to challenges in DMT preparedness.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional prospective observational study conducted in November–December 2023. The J-TRC webstudy participants were invited to participate in an online survey using Google Forms, and clinical specialists were invited to complete a mail-based survey. Main questionnaire items had been designed to be common in both surveys, and their responses were analyzed for participant attributes, interests, attitudes, expectations, and concerns about DMTs without specifying lecanemab.ResultsResponses were obtained from n = 2,050 J-TRC webstudy participants and n = 1,518 clinical specialists. Compared to specialists, more J-TRC respondents perceived the eligible proportion for DMT as smaller (59.1% versus 30.7%), perceived the eligible severity for DMT as more limited (58.0% versus 24.5%), and perceived the efficacy of DMT as slightly more encouraging (29.3% versus 34.8%). In terms of treatment prioritization, both J-TRC respondents and specialist respondents exhibited similar levels of acceptance for prioritizing patients to treat: e.g., approximately two-thirds endorsed patient prioritization under hypothetical resource constraints or other reasons. A medical rationale emerged as the most compelling reason for acceptance of patient prioritization across the surveys. In contrast, the need to address vulnerable populations was the reason that led to the least acceptance of prioritization, followed by economic considerations.ConclusionsOur findings offer valuable insights into the discrepancies in knowledge and perception between patients and healthcare providers. This could enhance the delivery of patient information in clinical settings and inform the discussion surrounding patient prioritization strategies.

ACM Risks Forum Quarterly Summary

This is an annotated summary of the main items contributed to the ACM Risks Forum in the most recent quarter, orgnanized categorically. References (R i j) to the online Risks Forum denote RISKS vol i number j. Cited RISKS items generally identify contributors and sources, together with URLs. Official RISKS archives are available at www.risks.org, with nice html formatting and search engine courtesy of Lindsay Marshall at Newcastle: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/i.j.html (also ftp://www.sri.com/risks). CACM Inside Risks: https://www.csl.sri.com/users/neumann/insiderisks.html

Colonial Governance in the Mining Sector: Las Bambas’ RSC and the Conflicts with the Communities

ABSTRACT Mining is an essential component of Peru's social metabolism and the main export item in monetary terms. Copper accounts for half of exports, and its demand is expected to increase because of the energy transition. Mining extraction causes permanent and numerous socio-environmental conflicts, particularly affecting indigenous populations whose integrity is at risk. The Chinese mining company MMG owns the Las Bambas mining project and has ongoing conflicts with affected communities. Affected communities are vulnerable to the mining giant and government repression. Despite promises of community participation, the company has failed to deliver. A long process of complaints and protests begins, to which more communities affected by the mining project are joining. Based on an analysis of the mining company's corporate social responsibility, we will show its colonial governance, demonstrating that its corporate social responsibility does not resolve the conflict, but on the contrary, favors the monetary claims of the communities supporting a corporate colonial behavior.

Exploring Students' Sense of School Belonging Among Adolescents Across Muslim Countries

Abstract: The need for school belonging is crucial for adolescents and affects academic performance (Goodenow, 1993). School belonging refers to the extent to which students feel accepted, valued, and included in their school environment. It encompasses a sense of connectedness to peers, teachers, and the broader school community, contributing to students' emotional and social well-being (Allen et al., 2021). Using selected data from the International Institute of Islamic Thought (2019–2020) and Item Response Theory (IRT), we derived a measure for school sense of belonging across Muslim countries/regions. Three main discriminative items were identified: pride in school, respect from teachers, and community integration. Additionally, the scores of school belonging revealed that students in Tatarstan showed higher levels of belonging, while those in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania reported lower levels. We conducted a regression analysis to gain insight into the relationship between school belonging and the country's GDP. The results showed a significant association between school belonging and GDP per capita, indicating that students in wealthier countries tend to have a stronger sense of belonging. These findings have practical implications for educators, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders in the field of education and social well-being. They underscore the need for schools to focus on pride, teacher respect, and being part of a school community to foster belonging to make a positive impact on students' well-being and academic performance.

A proposal for the development of a feed consumption database using a standardised feed classification system

Abstract There is currently no comprehensive feed consumption database using a harmonised feed classification system. This means there is a lack of accurate information on the individual amount of feed consumed daily by farmed and companion animals. Such a database would support exposure assessments of feed. This report provides a complete overview of the main feed databases, their structure, and how feed materials are classified. It highlights their limits and potential and reports any differences from FoodEx2. A proposal for future updates of FoodEx2 and the development of a comprehensive feed consumption model database is provided. The proposed model database is based on three information areas represented by three Excel sheets. These represent Animal, Feed, and Consumption, allowing the determination of animal dietary exposure. A proof of concept of the developed model database was carried out by performing two case studies focused on genetically modified feed and feed contaminants. For genetically modified feed, a reduced animal dietary exposure was obtained compared to estimations reported in the scientific opinions and obtained using Excel calculators proposed by EFSA. For the contaminants in feed, differences were limited, resulting in slightly higher or lower exposure values. Weaknesses and possible mitigations are also addressed, and recommendations are made for a comprehensive feed consumption database. These include recommendations establishing an EU classification system in which the main features and items reported in the European Catalogue of Feed Materials are harmonised with FoodEx2. It is also recommended that real‐life animal consumption data are collected by the feed industry, animal nutritionists, breeders, and farmers, along with the collaboration of stakeholders.

Educational Utility of Clinical Vignettes Generated in Japanese by ChatGPT-4: Mixed Methods Study.

Evaluating the accuracy and educational utility of artificial intelligence-generated medical cases, especially those produced by large language models such as ChatGPT-4 (developed by OpenAI), is crucial yet underexplored. This study aimed to assess the educational utility of ChatGPT-4-generated clinical vignettes and their applicability in educational settings. Using a convergent mixed methods design, a web-based survey was conducted from January 8 to 28, 2024, to evaluate 18 medical cases generated by ChatGPT-4 in Japanese. In the survey, 6 main question items were used to evaluate the quality of the generated clinical vignettes and their educational utility, which are information quality, information accuracy, educational usefulness, clinical match, terminology accuracy (TA), and diagnosis difficulty. Feedback was solicited from physicians specializing in general internal medicine or general medicine and experienced in medical education. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to identify differences among cases, and linear regression was used to examine trends associated with physicians' experience. Thematic analysis of qualitative feedback was performed to identify areas for improvement and confirm the educational utility of the cases. Of the 73 invited participants, 71 (97%) responded. The respondents, primarily male (64/71, 90%), spanned a broad range of practice years (from 1976 to 2017) and represented diverse hospital sizes throughout Japan. The majority deemed the information quality (mean 0.77, 95% CI 0.75-0.79) and information accuracy (mean 0.68, 95% CI 0.65-0.71) to be satisfactory, with these responses being based on binary data. The average scores assigned were 3.55 (95% CI 3.49-3.60) for educational usefulness, 3.70 (95% CI 3.65-3.75) for clinical match, 3.49 (95% CI 3.44-3.55) for TA, and 2.34 (95% CI 2.28-2.40) for diagnosis difficulty, based on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis showed significant variability in content quality and relevance across the cases (P<.001 after Bonferroni correction). Participants suggested improvements in generating physical findings, using natural language, and enhancing medical TA. The thematic analysis highlighted the need for clearer documentation, clinical information consistency, content relevance, and patient-centered case presentations. ChatGPT-4-generated medical cases written in Japanese possess considerable potential as resources in medical education, with recognized adequacy in quality and accuracy. Nevertheless, there is a notable need for enhancements in the precision and realism of case details. This study emphasizes ChatGPT-4's value as an adjunctive educational tool in the medical field, requiring expert oversight for optimal application.

Определение диссипативных потерь в гидравлическом приводе газораспределительного механизма двигателя внутреннего сгорания

Controlling the opening and closing times of intake and exhaust valves can improve the efficient parameters of an internal combustion engine and reduce the toxicity of combustion products. The valves are moved by an electronically controlled hydraulic drive. The energy consumption for the operation of a hydraulic valve drive is greater than when using a traditional mechanical drive. The dissipative energy losses in the accumulator one-way hydraulic valve drive are investigated. The working fluid of the hydraulic drive is SAE 5W-30 motor oil. The oil pressure behind the pump is 8 MPa, the diameter of the hydraulic cylinder is 16 mm. The main items of energy consumption are identified, and a methodology for their determination is proposed. The assessment of the efficiency of the hydraulic drive was based on the law of conservation of energy. To determine energy costs, a hydraulic drive model was compiled in the Simulink environment. A law of valve movement similar in shape to trapezoidal was obtained. The maximum speed of valve movement during the opening process is 4 m/s, during the closing process 3.8 m/s. During the period when the valve is held near the maximum lift of 14 mm, free oscillations with an amplitude of about 1 mm are observed. The energy consumption for a single actuation of the valve, which has a progressively moving mass of 0.5 kg, amounted to 25.9 J. Of this, a little more than 70% is spent on filling the hydraulic cylinder with liquid, the rest is spent when emptying it. As a result of throttling the fluid flow in the hydraulic cylinder rod stroke limiter and hydraulic brake, 56% of the energy is lost. Large energy losses are observed between the hydraulic accumulators and the hydraulic cylinder. When the cylinder is filled, 21.1% is lost here, and when it is emptied, 10.4%. Increasing the capacity of the supply and drain lines between hydraulic accumulators and hydraulic cylinders allows you to increase the speed of opening and closing valves. The main ways to increase the energy efficiency of the drive are to shift the hydraulic accumulators to the hydraulic cylinder, increase the diameter of the connecting lines, and increase the throughput of the solenoid valves.

Macroinvertebrates Associated with Macroalgae within Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) in Earthen Ponds: Potential for Accessory Production

The present work aims to evaluate the macroinvertebrate community associated with macroalgae in earthen pond systems to better understand their potential in detritus recycling and as an accessory production. Sampling took place on the settling pond of an aquaculture research station, where macroalgae permanently occurred at high densities. The results suggest differentiation between seasons but not between sites within the settling pond. Seasonal variation was observable in terms of macroinvertebrate density, biomass, and diversity. Two non-indigenous species of invertebrates were found, the crustaceans Grandidierella japonica and Paracerceis sculpta Amphipods were the most abundant group, and their high nutritional value can be exploited. Detritus and the epiphyte layer are the main food items for the invertebrates, reinforcing the advantages of these organisms being present to enhance the recycling of excess detritus and to transfer organic matter to upper trophic levels. These species, naturally present in aquaculture facilities, can improve the water quality and increase the variability of food nutrients for reared species.

Search-based Time-aware Graph-enhanced Recommendation with Sequential Behavior Data

Extending from sequential recommendation models, in this article, we present a novel framework named Search-based Time-Aware Recommendation (STARec), which first retrieves the historical behaviors of the given user through a search-based retriever and then captures the user’s evolving demands over time through a time-aware sequential network. We notice that the key insight of STARec is to use the feature and labels to augment the representations, and thus the effectiveness of STARec relies on the acquisition of rich browsing records of the target user and powerful representation of each browsed item and thus its performance could heavily drop regarding long-tail users and items. To this end, we extend STARec by constructing a graph upon the user–item interactions and leveraging the graph structure to enhance the representation learning. We call this extended version Search-based Time-Aware Graph-Enhanced Recommendation (STAGE). We conduct extensive experiments on three real-world datasets and STARec achieves consistent superiority. We further compare STAGE against STARec long-tail users and our results demonstrate that STAGE could outperform STARec at most cases. Results of online A/B tests show that STARec and STAGE achieve an average click-through rate improvement of around 6% and 1.5% in the two main item recommendation scenarios, respectively. 1

Exploring the impact of tax divergence in financial reporting. A case of Albania (2022)

The interplay between tax divergence and financial reporting in Albania has assumed growing importance. This research, grounded in a post-positivist paradigm, seeks to elucidate the connection between these variables and discern which exerts the greater influence. The methodology is a qualitative dimension involved in the analysis of secondary data from businesses and the examination of tax laws and accounting standards. We elaborate the topic by taking on the one hand the main items of Accounting Standards and on the other hand the main items of the tax legislation in force. Furthermore, the research incorporates a quantitative component using a questionnaire to collect perceptions from professionals. This adds a descriptive or cross-sectional element to the research, but the primary emphasis remains on exploration and understanding, making it predominantly an exploratory research type, employing an ex-post-facto methodology. The study reveals that in the Albanian context, tax regulations wield a substantial impact on the practices of financial reporting. Variations in tax laws often prompt the application of creative accounting techniques, leading to information imbalances that can have ramifications for decision-making. Notable instances have illuminated how tax divergence can yield discrepancies in financial reporting, compelling the necessity for regulatory adaptations and elevated reporting standards. From this research, several pivotal recommendations have emerged. These emphasize the synchronization of legal and accounting frameworks through the reduction of permissible accounting and tax methods. This strategic alignment aims to enhance comparability while minimizing opportunities for divergence. Management is encouraged to acknowledge the significance of effective tax planning, institute a robustly supervised Code of Ethics, and actively endorse its observance. Tax authorities are urged to invest in expanded training, with an urgent imperative for streamlining tax legislation. This paper offers valuable insights for stakeholders such as investors, management, policymakers, regulators, to enhance financial transparency, benefit and compliance by addressing the impact of tax divergence on financial reporting in Albania.

Variability in resource use of sympatric cowfish Aracana aurita and A. ornata in southeastern Australian waters

Sympatric species that share morphological similarities tend to diversify their prey resources to coexist. The striped cowfish (Aracana aurita) and ornate cowfish (A. ornata) live together on the continental shelf from western to southern Australia including Tasmanian waters. The present study analyzed stomach contents and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) to investigate the use of food resource between the two species collected in Tasmanian waters, Australia. In total, 139 A. aurita and 46 A. ornata were collected from 2014 to 2018. The small size class of A. aurita (<140 mm SL) mainly consumed polychaetes and amphipods, while its large size class (≥140 mm SL) preyed more on bivalves and crustacean decapods. The main prey items of the small size class of A. ornata (<140 mm SL) were amphipods and crabs. No differences in diet were observed between the sexes of either species. Stable isotope analyses showed significant differences in δ15N and δ13C between the two species, but not between the two size classes of A. aurita (ANOVA, P < 0.05). Integrating analyses of stomach contents and stable isotopes indicated that the two species preferred different food resources based on different trophic sources. Consequently, although the habitats of the two species overlap, both species can co-exist through dietary segregation.

Effect of conifer afforestation on the occurrence and food availability for Zaedyus pichiy (Xenarthra: Chlamyphoridae) in the north-western Patagonian steppe of Argentina

Abstract The grasslands and shrub areas of the Patagonian steppe are the most frequent habitat for the “Near Threatened” armadillo, known as pichi (Zaedyus pichiy). Dense exotic conifer plantations are replacing the steppe in Argentinean northern Patagonia. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of conifer afforestation on the occurrence and food availability in a Z. pichiy population in north-western Patagonia. Fifteen sites in the native steppe and 50 in exotic pine plantations were sampled. We recorded the number of signs of pichi’s presence and the diversity of invertebrates. Signs of Z. pichiy presence decreased in pine afforestation compared to the native steppe. Additionally, we found a decrease in the abundance, richness, diversity, and biomass of arthropods in pine plantations. Therefore, the presence of pine plantations in the steppe reduces the main food items of Z. pichiy and also eliminates the native steppe vegetation structure that provides preferred places to dig burrows. Pine monocultures do not provide a suitable habitat for Z. pichiy and may exacerbate the degradation of an already disturbed environment.

ACM Risks Forum Quarterly Summary

This is an annotated summary of the main items contributed to the ACM Risks Forum in the most recent quarter, orgnanized categorically. References (R i j) to the online Risks Forum denote RISKS vol i number j. Cited RISKS items generally identify contributors and sources, together with URLs. Official RISKS archives are available at www.risks.org, with nice html formatting and search engine courtesy of Lindsay Marshall at Newcastle: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/i.j.html (also ftp://www.sri.com/risks). CACM Inside Risks: http://www.csl.sri.com/neumann/insiderisks.html

A proposed methodology to evaluate the influence of climate change on drinking water treatments and costs

Drinking water (DW) production treatments can be affected by climate change, in particular intense rainfall events, having an impact on the availability and quality of the water source. The current study proposes a methodology for the evaluation of the costs of the different treatment steps for surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW), through the analysis and quantification of the main cost items. It provides the details to count for strong variations in the key quality parameters of inlet water following severe rainfalls (namely turbidity, iron, manganese, and E. coli). This methodology is then applied to a large drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) in Italy, which treats both SW, around 70 %, and GW, around 30%. It discusses the overall DW production costs (from 7.60 c€/m3 to 10.43 c€/m3) during the period 2019–2021 and analyzes the contributions of the different treatment steps in water and sludge trains. Then it focuses on the effects on the treatments of significant variations in SW turbidity (up to 1863 NTU) due to intense rainfalls, and on the daily costs of DW with respect to the average (baseline) costs evaluated on the annual basis. It emerges that, when SW has low turbidity levels, the energy-based steps have the biggest contribution on the costs (final pumping 22 % for SW and 10 % for GW, withdrawal 15 % and 14 %, respectively), whereas at very high turbidity levels, sludge greatly increases, and its treatment and disposal costs become significant (up to 14 % and 50 %). Efforts are being made to adopt the best strategies for the management of DWTPs in these adverse conditions, with the aim to guarantee potable water and optimize water production costs. A mitigation measure consists of increasing GW withdrawal up to the authorized flow rate, thus reducing SW withdrawal. In this context, the study is completed by discussing the potential upgrading of the DWTP by only treating GW withdrawn from riverbank filtration. The DW production cost would be 7.76 c€/m3, which is lower than that seen for the same year (2021) with the current plant configuration (8.32 c€/m3).

Molecular mechanisms of neutron radiation dose effects on M1 generation peas

The dose effect of radiation has long been a topic of concern, but the molecular mechanism behind it is still unclear. In this study, dried pea seeds were irradiated with 252Cf fission neutron source. Through analyzing the transcriptome and proteome of M1 generation pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves, we studied the molecular rule and mechanism of neutron dose effect. Our results showed three important rules of global gene expression in the studied dose range. The rule closely related to the neutron absorbed dose at the transcription and translation levels is: the greater the difference in neutron absorbed dose between two radiation treatment groups, the greater the difference in differential expression between the two groups and the control group. We also obtained important sensitive metabolic pathways of neutron radiation, as well as related key genes. Furthermore, the overall molecular regulation mechanism of dose effect was revealed based on the main functional items obtained. Our research results can be applied to appropriate radiation dose estimation and agricultural production practice.

Externalities of Sanctions Impact on Russian Economy

The work reveals the economic motives for decision-making by the leading world powers and the features of the development of the Russian national economy in the context of measures taken by the Government of the country in the conditions of a changing geopolitical reality. The emphasis is made on the need to manage the risks of foreign economic activity after the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions by unfriendly countries with developed economies. The degree of dependence of the Russian Federation on high-tech goods, components, software and at the same time low diversification of production for the main export items has been revealed. Promising markets for export goods and potential importers as well as partner countries for the development of mutual trade in products and services have been identified. Acceptable solutions and current anti-crisis support measures from the state in the form of subsidizing lending rates, creating “new growth points” in the economy by allocating funds for import substitution programs, etc. are outlined. An assessment of the possible damage to several friendly countries from the attempt to economically isolate one of the world’s largest economies has been completed. The countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America are considered the main regions for the future development of international cooperation. The BRICS bloc for Russia is becoming a key integration association in terms of transforming industrial, logistics and financial chains in the global economic space. As a result, constructive conclusions about the need to use diplomatic measures to maintain neutrality and create interstate agreements that contribute to a more intensive opening of the internal markets of friendly countries for the development of mutual trade in raw materials and high-tech goods are given.

THE G7 SUMMIT 2024: A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW

Leaders of the most developed economies in the world gathered for the 50th G7 Summit in Italy in 2024 to discuss important global concerns. With an emphasis on digital transformation, geopolitical stability, economic recovery, and climate action, this study examines the summit's main agenda items and results. While the world was still getting over the COVID-19 epidemic, the G7 was emphasizing the need for coordinated economic policies to boost development and close the gap between developed and poor nations. A major focus was climate action, with pledges to save 30% of land and ocean by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The establishment of the G7 Digital Partnership to improve data privacy and counter cyber threats brought attention to cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. Underscoring the G7's commitment to preserving international law and democratic ideals, the summit also addressed geopolitical challenges, including Russia's actions in Ukraine. Prioritizing social inclusion and lowering economic disparity meant endorsing sustainable development objectives and collaborating with emerging nations. According to the study's findings, the G7's cooperative tactics and proactive participation are critical for tackling global issues and promoting a more safe, fair, and sustainable world.

The effect of dietary changes on the water and carbon footprints in China

Dietary changes impact the production and consumption of plant and animal foods, thereby affecting water resource usage and greenhouse gas emissions. However, previous studies have ignored subnational differences in long-term dietary changes and environmental impacts. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of dietary changes in China from 1997 to 2016 by combining water and carbon footprints. Results indicated significant provincial differences in both total food consumption amounts (277.15 Mt to 445.58 Mt) and patterns. At the national level, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of 10 main food items rose sharply from 437.52 ± 131.26 Gm3/yr to 671.13 ± 201.34 Gm3/yr and 273.66 ± 26.43 Mt CO₂ eq. to 443.50 ± 46.96 Mt CO₂ eq. As per capita animal-based food consumption first increased and then decreased, more developed regions with balanced diets showed water-saving and carbon reduction effects. For instance, Beijing reduced its water footprint by 50.44 m3/cap/yr and reduced carbon footprint by 186.05 kg CO₂ eq./cap/yr. In contrast, in less developed regions, animal food consumption has continued to grow over the last two decades, weighing the environmental impacts. Dietary changes in more developed regions can serve as references for less developed areas. Ensuring steady growth in animal food consumption for basic health needs can also support sustainable development. Furthermore, scenario analysis indicated that replacing all meat with plant-based food could achieve maximum water saving by 13 % and maximum emission reduction by 32 % with current energy and nutritional requirements, while towards national dietary guidelines would increase water consumption by 449.43 m3/cap and emissions by 8.48 CO2 eq./cap, dominated by increasing fruits and vegetables. Policies that affect consumers' choices of food patterns could focus more on promoting adequate and appropriate animal food intake towards healthy and environmentally friendly diets, particularly in less developed regions.