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Roggema R, Krstikj A, Flores B. Spatial Barriers to Transforming toward a Healthy Food System in the Noreste of Mexico. Nutrients 2024; 16:1259. [PMID: 38732506 PMCID: PMC11085837 DOI: 10.3390/nu16091259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past five decades, global food systems have undergone a notable transition, moving from predominantly rural settings to increasingly urban and industrialized environments, largely driven by processes of globalization and supply chain integration. However, this evolution has not adequately addressed equitable access to nutritious diets and food environments, resulting in adverse health outcomes. This study delves into the spatial and non-spatial barriers that impede the adoption of healthy diets in the Noreste of Mexico, particularly focusing on the challenges associated with accessing and cultivating plant-based foods. Through an examination of suitable areas for urban agriculture and an exploration of the socio-cultural factors influencing the adoption of plant-based diets, the research focuses on interventions aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable eating practices in Monterrey. The findings of the study reveal significant disparities in food access across the Monterrey metropolitan area, with central urban zones exhibiting superior access to fresh foods compared to suburban and peripheral regions. This inequality disproportionately affects marginalized areas characterized by higher poverty rates, exacerbating issues of food insecurity. Nevertheless, traditional dietary practices could offer promising avenues for creating culturally significant and healthier dietary transitions, even amidst the ongoing process of urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Roggema
- School of Architecture, Art and Design, Campus Monterrey, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
| | - Aleksandra Krstikj
- School of Architecture, Art and Design, Campus State of Mexico, Tecnologico de Monterrey, López Mateos 52926, Mexico;
| | - Brianda Flores
- School of Humanities and Education, Campus Monterrey, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Mexico;
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2
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Li Z, Yan M, Liu Y. Prevalence of body mass index categories among adults living alone in China: Observational study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297096. [PMID: 38306332 PMCID: PMC10836694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adults living alone represent a growing population group in China. Understanding the prevalence of body mass index (BMI) categories and their associations with demographic and lifestyle factors among this group is essential for informing targeted interventions and public health policies. METHODS In this population-based cross-sectional study, we used individual-level data from the 2011-2021 China General Social Survey. Main outcomes were prevalence of BMI categories adjusted for gender and age, using logistic regression and model-predicted marginal prevalence to estimate BMI categories prevalence. RESULTS We analyzed 9,077 single-living Chinese adult participants. The primary-adjusted prevalence of BMI categories varied across different genders and age groups. Underweight was more prevalent in females (12.73%; 95% CI: 12.31% - 13.14%) than in males (7.54%; 95% CI: 7.19% - 7.88%), while overweight and obesity were higher in males. Primary-adjusted underweight prevalence was highest among the 18-24 years age group (22.09%; 95% CI: 20.17% - 24.01%) and decreased with age. Primary-adjusted overweight prevalence increased with age, peaking in the 45-54 years age group (41.94%; 95% CI: 40.96% - 42.93%). Primary-adjusted obesity prevalence exhibited a fluctuating pattern across age groups, with the highest prevalence observed in the 45-54 years age group (9.81%; 95% CI: 9.19% - 10.44%). CONCLUSION Our findings reveal significant associations between BMI categories and demographic and lifestyle factors among adults living alone in China. These results can inform targeted interventions and public health policies aimed at promoting healthy weight management and addressing the unique health challenges faced by single-living individuals in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixuan Li
- Urban Vocational College of Sichuan, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengmeng Yan
- School of healthcare and technology, Chengdu Neusoft University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- Department of Health Management & Institute of Health Management, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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3
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Kraak V, Kapur M, Thamilselvan V, Lartey A. Policy Insights from High-Income Countries to Guide Safe, Nutritious, and Sustainable Alternative Proteins for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Curr Dev Nutr 2024; 8:101995. [PMID: 38476728 PMCID: PMC10926123 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.101995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The United Nations has encouraged governments to promote sustainable healthy diets to address undernutrition, obesity, and climate change. This perspective paper examines policy insights from selected high-income countries in Asia, Europe, and North America to understand how traditional and novel alternative proteins (AP) may support sustainable healthy diets in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where populations experience malnutrition in all forms. AP products must be affordable, locally sustainable, and culturally acceptable to improve diet quality and health. Food-based dietary guidelines are a policy tool to guide AP product formulation, manufacturing, processing, labeling, and marketing to ensure that these products complement traditional plant- and animal-source proteins in sustainable healthy diets. This paper suggests that a new food categorization taxonomy is needed to guide AP product recommendations. Decision-makers must harmonize multisectoral policies to ensure LMIC populations have access to sustainable healthy diets to achieve a protein transition and food systems transformation by 2050.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivica Kraak
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Mansha Kapur
- The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Veena Thamilselvan
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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4
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Talwar R, Freymond M, Beesabathuni K, Lingala S. Current and Future Market Opportunities for Alternative Proteins in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Curr Dev Nutr 2024; 8:102035. [PMID: 38476721 PMCID: PMC10926118 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need for sustainable food systems to address the nutritional requirements of today and tomorrow. Alternative proteins (AP) have the potential to diversify the protein sources available for consumption while aligning with nutritional, environmental, and cultural needs and preferences. Although AP startups and investors focus on high-income countries, there is a growing market opportunity for AP in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to increasing incomes, urbanization, and market expansion. This study aimed to evaluate the market opportunity for AP in LMICs by evaluating current global AP market trends, the factors influencing consumer demand, and the key aspects for enabling the environment for AP. Risks, challenges, and strategies for AP market expansion in LMICs are also discussed. The expansion and adoption of AP in LMICs could present a promising solution to nourish the world's growing population while mitigating the global food and environmental crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Resham Talwar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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5
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He P, Liu Z, Baiocchi G, Guan D, Bai Y, Hubacek K. Health-environment efficiency of diets shows nonlinear trends over 1990-2011. NATURE FOOD 2024; 5:116-124. [PMID: 38332359 PMCID: PMC10896724 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00924-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the impacts of diets on health and the environment, as well as their association with socio-economic development, is key to operationalize and monitor food systems shifts. Here we propose a health-environment efficiency indicator defined as a ratio of health benefits and four key food-related environmental impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, scarcity-weighted water withdrawal, acidifying and eutrophying emissions) to assess how diets have performed in supporting healthy lives in relation to environmental pollution and resource consumption across 195 countries from 1990 to 2011. We find that the health-environment efficiency of each environmental input follows a nonlinear path along the Socio-Demographic Index gradient representing different development levels. Health-environment efficiency first increases thanks to the elimination of child and maternal malnutrition through greater food supply, then decreases driven by additional environmental impacts from a shift to animal products, and finally shows a slow growth in some developed countries again as they shift towards healthier diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan He
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhu Liu
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality and Department of Geography, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
| | - Giovanni Baiocchi
- Department of Geographical Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Dabo Guan
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yan Bai
- School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Development Data Group, the World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Klaus Hubacek
- Integrated Research on Energy, Environment & Society (IREES) at the Energy Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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6
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Kimhi A. Food Security in Israel: Challenges and Policies. Foods 2024; 13:187. [PMID: 38254488 PMCID: PMC10814053 DOI: 10.3390/foods13020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
This article analyzes Israel's food security in comparison to other developed countries, using multiple indicators divided into four sections: food availability, food affordability, food quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience. Overall, the state of food security in Israel is better than in most countries, but the threats to food security arising from the triple risk of climate change, international conflicts, and disruptions in global supply chains, require better preparation for the future. Israel's population growth and the slowdown in the growth rate of its agricultural production, as well as the short-term political desire to reduce prices, are leading the country to increasingly rely on food imports. Such imports expose Israel to even greater global risks, and require the formulation of a risk-management strategy that will balance local production and imports. The global triple risk to food security is currently exacerbated for Israel by the risk of shortage of labor due to the security situation, making this risk-management strategy even more necessary. This calls for the establishment of a governmental authority to oversee the formulation of a long-term food-security strategy, to break it down into feasible objectives and policy measures, and to supervise their implementation. Most importantly, in order to maintain and perhaps even enhance the productive capacity of the agricultural sector, the government must reinstall trust between farmers and the state by establishing a stable long-term policy environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayal Kimhi
- Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research, Kochav Yair 44864, Israel; or
- Department of Environmental Economics and Management, Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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7
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Jennings S, Challinor A, Smith P, Macdiarmid JI, Pope E, Chapman S, Bradshaw C, Clark H, Vetter S, Fitton N, King R, Mwamakamba S, Madzivhandila T, Mashingaidze I, Chomba C, Nawiko M, Nyhodo B, Mazibuko N, Yeki P, Kuwali P, Kambwiri A, Kazi V, Kiama A, Songole A, Coskeran H, Quinn C, Sallu S, Dougill A, Whitfield S, Kunin B, Meebelo N, Jamali A, Kantande D, Makundi P, Mbungu W, Kayula F, Walker S, Zimba S, Galani Yamdeu JH, Kapulu N, Galdos MV, Eze S, Tripathi H, Sait S, Kepinski S, Likoya E, Greathead H, Smith HE, Mahop MT, Harwatt H, Muzammil M, Horgan G, Benton T. Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. NATURE FOOD 2024; 5:37-47. [PMID: 38168785 PMCID: PMC10810754 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-023-00901-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Improving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. iFEED translates climate-food-emissions modelling into policy-relevant information using model output implication statements. Results show that diversifying agricultural production towards more micronutrient-rich foods is necessary to achieve an adequate population-level nutrient supply by mid-century. Agricultural areas must expand unless unprecedented rapid yield improvements are achieved. While these transformations are challenging to accomplish and often associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the alternative for a nutrition-secure future is to rely increasingly on imports, which would outsource emissions and be economically and politically challenging given the large import increases required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stewart Jennings
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew Challinor
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Jennie I Macdiarmid
- The Rowett Institute, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Edward Pope
- Hadley Centre, Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Chapman
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Bradshaw
- Hadley Centre, Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom
- The Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Clark
- Institute of Applied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Sylvia Vetter
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Nuala Fitton
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Richard King
- Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sithembile Mwamakamba
- Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Ian Mashingaidze
- Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | | | - Bonani Nyhodo
- National Agricultural Marketing Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Precious Yeki
- National Agricultural Marketing Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | | | - Vivian Kazi
- Economic and Social Research Foundation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Agatha Kiama
- Economic and Social Research Foundation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Abel Songole
- Economic and Social Research Foundation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Helen Coskeran
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Quinn
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Susannah Sallu
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Dougill
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Whitfield
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Bill Kunin
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Nalishebo Meebelo
- Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Andrew Jamali
- Malawi National Planning Commission, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | - Prosper Makundi
- Environmental Management Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | | | | | - Sue Walker
- Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
- University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Sibongile Zimba
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Joseph Hubert Galani Yamdeu
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Section of Natural and Applied Sciences, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Ndashe Kapulu
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Marcelo Valadares Galdos
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Sustainable Soils and Crops, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Eze
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, United Kingdom
| | - Hemant Tripathi
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- UN Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Sait
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Kepinski
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuel Likoya
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Henry Greathead
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Harriet Elizabeth Smith
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Marcelin Tonye Mahop
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- USAID West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emissions Development (WABiLED) Programme, Accra, Ghana
| | - Helen Harwatt
- Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maliha Muzammil
- Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Horgan
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Benton
- Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, United Kingdom
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8
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Santos MI, Grácio M, Silva MC, Pedroso L, Lima A. One Health Perspectives on Food Safety in Minimally Processed Vegetables and Fruits: From Farm to Fork. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2990. [PMID: 38138132 PMCID: PMC10745503 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
While food markets and food production chains are experiencing exponential growth, global attention to food safety is steadily increasing. This is particularly crucial for ready-to-eat products such as fresh-cut salads and fruits, as these items are consumed raw without prior heat treatment, making the presence of pathogenic microorganisms quite frequent. Moreover, many studies on foodborne illnesses associated with these foods often overlook the transmission links from the initial contamination source. The prevention and control of the dissemination of foodborne pathogens should be approached holistically, involving agricultural production, processing, transport, food production, and extending to final consumption, all while adopting a One Health perspective. In this context, our objective is to compile available information on the challenges related to microbiological contamination in minimally handled fruits and vegetables. This includes major reported outbreaks, specific bacterial strains, and associated statistics throughout the production chain. We address the sources of contamination at each stage, along with issues related to food manipulation and disinfection. Additionally, we provide potential solutions to promote a healthier approach to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This information will be valuable for both researchers and food producers, particularly those focused on ensuring food safety and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabel Santos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Madalena Grácio
- Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Mariana Camoesas Silva
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
| | - Laurentina Pedroso
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Lima
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
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9
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Schneider KR, Fanzo J, Haddad L, Herrero M, Moncayo JR, Herforth A, Remans R, Guarin A, Resnick D, Covic N, Béné C, Cattaneo A, Aburto N, Ambikapathi R, Aytekin D, Barquera S, Battersby J, Beal T, Molina PB, Cafiero C, Campeau C, Caron P, Conforti P, Damerau K, Di Girolamo M, DeClerck F, Dewi D, Elouafi I, Fabi C, Foley P, Frazier TJ, Gephart J, Golden C, Fischer CG, Hendriks S, Honorati M, Huang J, Kennedy G, Laar A, Lal R, Lidder P, Loken B, Marshall Q, Masuda YJ, McLaren R, Miachon L, Muñoz H, Nordhagen S, Qayyum N, Saisana M, Suhardiman D, Sumaila UR, Cullen MT, Tubiello FN, Vivero-Pol JL, Webb P, Wiebe K. The state of food systems worldwide in the countdown to 2030. NATURE FOOD 2023; 4:1090-1110. [PMID: 38114693 PMCID: PMC10730405 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-023-00885-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
This Analysis presents a recently developed food system indicator framework and holistic monitoring architecture to track food system transformation towards global development, health and sustainability goals. Five themes are considered: (1) diets, nutrition and health; (2) environment, natural resources and production; (3) livelihoods, poverty and equity; (4) governance; and (5) resilience. Each theme is divided into three to five indicator domains, and indicators were selected to reflect each domain through a consultative process. In total, 50 indicators were selected, with at least one indicator available for every domain. Harmonized data of these 50 indicators provide a baseline assessment of the world's food systems. We show that every country can claim positive outcomes in some parts of food systems, but none are among the highest ranked across all domains. Furthermore, some indicators are independent of national income, and each highlights a specific aspiration for healthy, sustainable and just food systems. The Food Systems Countdown Initiative will track food systems annually to 2030, amending the framework as new indicators or better data emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Schneider
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Jessica Fanzo
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Mario Herrero
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Anna Herforth
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roseline Remans
- Glocolearning, Genk, Belgium
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
| | - Alejandro Guarin
- International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK
| | - Danielle Resnick
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Namukolo Covic
- International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- CGIAR, Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe Béné
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
- Wageningen Economic Research Group, Wageningen University, Den Haag, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Nancy Aburto
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Ramya Ambikapathi
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Destan Aytekin
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Simon Barquera
- Research Center of Nutrition and Health, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México
| | | | - Ty Beal
- Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Carlo Cafiero
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Patrick Caron
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Cirad, Montpellier, France
- ART-DEV, Montpellier, France
| | - Piero Conforti
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Kerstin Damerau
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Michael Di Girolamo
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Fabrice DeClerck
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
- EAT Forum, Montpellier, France
| | - Deviana Dewi
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Carola Fabi
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Pat Foley
- Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Food Programme, Panama City, Panama
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Gonzalez Fischer
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Sheryl Hendriks
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, UK
| | | | - Jikun Huang
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Amos Laar
- School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Rattan Lal
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Quinn Marshall
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Lais Miachon
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hernán Muñoz
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
- University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Naina Qayyum
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Diana Suhardiman
- Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies/KITLV, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - U Rashid Sumaila
- School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Patrick Webb
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith Wiebe
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Conrad Z, Drewnowski A, Love DC. Greater adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is associated with lower diet-related greenhouse gas emissions but higher costs. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1220016. [PMID: 37599695 PMCID: PMC10433380 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1220016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Few studies have evaluated the sustainability of popular diet patterns in the US, which limits policy action and impedes consumer efficacy to make sustainable dietary changes. This study filled this gap by evaluating the relationship between diet quality, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), and diet cost for plant-based, restricted carbohydrate, low grain, low fat, and time restricted diet patterns. Methods Dietary data were retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2018, n = 8,146) and linked with data on GHGE and food prices from publicly available databases. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2015. The present study (1) compared the mean diet quality, GHGE, and diet cost between diet patterns, (2) evaluated the association of diet quality to GHGE and diet cost for each diet pattern, and (3) estimated the contribution of food sources to GHGE and diet cost for each diet pattern. Results Higher diet quality was associated with lower GHGE for the general population and for most diet patterns (p < 0.01) except for the plant-based and time restricted diet patterns (p > 0.05). Higher diet quality was associated with higher cost for the general population and for all dietary patterns (p < 0.01) except the time restricted diet pattern (p > 0.05). Protein foods, mostly beef, accounted for the largest share of GHGE (29-40%) and diet cost (28-47%) for all diet patterns except plant-based. Discussion Higher diet quality was associated with lower GHGE but was often accompanied by higher diet cost. These sustainability trade-offs can help inform major policy discussions in the US and shed light on further research needs in the area of food systems transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Conrad
- Department of Kinesiology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
- Global Research Institute, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Adam Drewnowski
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - David C. Love
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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11
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Chungchunlam SMS, Moughan PJ. Comparative bioavailability of vitamins in human foods sourced from animals and plants. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2023:1-36. [PMID: 37522617 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2241541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Vitamins are essential components of enzyme systems involved in normal growth and function. The quantitative estimation of the proportion of dietary vitamins, that is in a form available for utilization by the human body, is limited and fragmentary. This review provides the current state of knowledge on the bioavailability of thirteen vitamins and choline, to evaluate whether there are differences in vitamin bioavailability when human foods are sourced from animals or plants. The bioavailability of naturally occurring choline, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K in food awaits further studies. Animal-sourced foods are the almost exclusive natural sources of dietary vitamin B-12 (65% bioavailable) and preformed vitamin A retinol (74% bioavailable), and contain highly bioavailable biotin (89%), folate (67%), niacin (67%), pantothenic acid (80%), riboflavin (61%), thiamin (82%), and vitamin B-6 (83%). Plant-based foods are the main natural sources of vitamin C (76% bioavailable), provitamin A carotenoid β-carotene (15.6% bioavailable), riboflavin (65% bioavailable), thiamin (81% bioavailable), and vitamin K (16.5% bioavailable). The overview of studies showed that in general, vitamins in foods originating from animals are more bioavailable than vitamins in foods sourced from plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul J Moughan
- Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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12
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Yin J, Hua J, Zhang X, Tuyishimire A, Yang D. Healthy Eating for All? The Challenge of Adhering to Dietary Guidelines for Low-Income Groups in China. Nutrients 2023; 15:2704. [PMID: 37375608 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese Dietary Guidelines propose a balanced diet for healthy living, but the affordability of this diet needs to be considered, especially for low-income households. To investigate the affordability of a healthy diet, this study analyzes the daily retail prices of 46 food items in 36 Chinese cities from 2016 to 2021. This study compares expenditure, diet composition, and nutritional status in two scenarios aligned with the guidelines. The results show that the mean minimum cost of a balanced diet exceeds the current per capita food expenditure for at least 182.85 million urban households. This suggests that low-income people would need to increase their expenditure by at least 20-121% to achieve the recommended diets. This study also identifies affordable and nutrient-dense foods such as standard flour, eggs, black beans, and cabbage, which policymakers should focus on when monitoring food prices. The findings recommend a combination of social and food system policies to reduce prices and make healthy diets accessible. This study identifies the gaps in the Chinese Dietary Guidelines for ensuring accessibility for vulnerable groups and provides a template for policymakers and researchers to track diet affordability using available food price data in China, contributing to China's 2030 Health Plan and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Yin
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jingfen Hua
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Xinhuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Alexandre Tuyishimire
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Degang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
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13
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Grasso AC, Besselink JJF, Tyszler M, Bruins MJ. The Potential of Food Fortification as an Enabler of More Environmentally Sustainable, Nutritionally Adequate Diets. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15112473. [PMID: 37299436 DOI: 10.3390/nu15112473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Policies encouraging shifts towards more plant-based diets can lead to shortfalls in micronutrients typically present in animal products (B-vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids). We modelled the effect of fortifying foods with these critical micronutrients, with the aim of achieving nutrition and sustainability goals, using food consumption data from Dutch adults (19-30 years). Three dietary scenarios were optimized for nutritional adequacy and 2030 greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE-2030) targets, respectively, with the fewest deviations from the baseline diet: (i) the current diet (mainly vitamin A- and D-fortified margarine, iodized bread, and some calcium- and vitamin D-fortified dairy alternatives and iron- and vitamin B12-fortified meat alternatives); (ii) all plant-based alternatives fortified with critical micronutrients; and (iii) fortified bread and oils. Optimizing the current diet for nutrition and GHGE-2030 targets reduced animal-to-plant protein ratios from ~65:35, to 33:67 (women) and 20:80 (men), but required major increases in legumes and plant-based alternatives. When fortifying all plant-based alternatives and, subsequently, bread and oil, smaller dietary changes were needed to achieve nutrition and GHGE-2030 targets. Fortifying food products with critical micronutrients, ideally with complementary education on plant-based foods, can facilitate the transition to healthier and more sustainable diets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Maaike J Bruins
- dsm-firmenich, Taste, Texture and Health, 2613 AX Delft, The Netherlands
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Conrad Z, Drewnowski A, Belury MA, Love DC. Greenhouse gas emissions, cost, and diet quality of specific diet patterns in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2023:S0002-9165(23)46847-5. [PMID: 37075848 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major policy agendas are calling for accelerated investment in research that addresses the impact of diet patterns on multiple domains of sustainability. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the comparative greenhouse gas emissions, diet cost, and diet quality of plant-based, low grain, restricted carbohydrate, low fat, and time restricted diet patterns on a daily per capita basis. DESIGN Dietary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2016, n=4,025) were merged with data on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and food prices from multiple databases. The Healthy Eating Index-2015 was used to measure diet quality. RESULTS The plant-based diet pattern had the lowest GHGE (3.5 kg CO2eq, 95% CI: 3.3, 3.8 kg CO2eq) and among the lowest diet cost ($11.51, 95% CI: $10.67, $12.41), but diet quality (45.8, 95% CI: 43.3, 48.5) was similar (P>0.005) to most other diet patterns. All of the sustainability impacts of the low grain diet pattern were intermediate. The restricted carbohydrate diet pattern had the highest diet cost ($18.46, 95% CI: $17.80, $19.13) but intermediate diet quality (46.8, 95% CI: 45.7, 47.9) and moderate-to-high GHGE (5.7 kg CO2eq, 95% CI: 5.4, 5.9 kg CO2eq). The low fat diet pattern had the highest diet quality (52.0, 95% CI: 50.8, 53.1) and intermediate GHGE (4.4 kg CO2eq, 95% CI: 4.1, 4.6 kg CO2eq) and diet cost ($14.53, 95% CI: $13.73, $15.38). The time restricted diet pattern had among the lowest diet quality score (42.6, 95% CI: 40.8, 44.6), had GHGE similar to most other diet patterns (4.6 kg CO2eq, 95% CI: 4.2, 5.0 kg CO2eq), and low-to-moderate diet cost ($12.34, 95% CI: $11.38, $13.40). CONCLUSIONS Most diet patterns were associated with sustainability trade-offs. The nature of those trade-offs can help inform discussions on food and nutrition policy in the US, including the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and future Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Conrad
- Department of Kinesiology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA; Global Research Institute, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA.
| | - Adam Drewnowski
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Martha A Belury
- Program of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43221, USA.
| | - David C Love
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA; Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Wang Y, Jian C, Salonen A, Dong M, Yang Z. Designing healthier bread through the lens of the gut microbiota. Trends Food Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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Alemu R. The race towards more sustainable food systems. NATURE FOOD 2022; 3:679-680. [PMID: 37118147 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00598-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robel Alemu
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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