Eating patterns to combat climate change

Did you know food production is the leading cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil and water pollution,¹ and accounts for 70% of all human water use?²

Every stage of our food production system impacts the environment, from growing and harvesting, processing and packing, distribution, retail, cooking and eating, waste and recycling, and landfill. These processes have implications for land use, water use, energy use, as well as the production of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (gases that trap heat in the atmosphere contributing to a global temperature rise), with food waste and agriculture being the biggest GHG contributors. In order to ensure global temperatures do not rise above a safe level to avoid extreme weather events (heat, drought and flooding), as well as protect our finite resources (water, land and energy),^3-5 there is an urgency to adopt more sustainable eating habits.

What is a sustainable diet?
Foods considered to be more sustainable are those which generate minimal carbon footprint, as well as minimal land, water and energy utilisation in the production system and, importantly, are nutritionally adequate. Therefore, an environmentally sustainable diet and a healthy diet are usually synonymous. This is supported by studies demonstrating that dietary patterns of higher nutrition quality - diets with a higher intake of plant foods and lower intake of meat products - are associated with reduced GHG emissions and improved overall sustainability scores.^6-14 These eating patterns have been shown to meet micronutrient recommendations (vitamins and minerals), are lower in energy dense foods and saturated fat, provide higher fruit and vegetable intake (and increased fibre intake) and are associated with improved health outcomes such as a reduced rate of diabetes and heart disease.^9,15 Several national dietary guidelines including those of the UK,¹⁶ Canada,¹⁷ Belgium¹⁸ and the Netherlands,¹⁹ have sought to address sustainability by placing it at the core of their recommendations.

What can we do to eat more sustainably?
Eating sustainably does not have to be a complete overhaul of your diet; a few small changes can have a big impact for the planet.

The British Dietetic Association, the largest professional body of dietitians in the UK, has recently launched the campaign ‘One Blue Dot’ to support this movement and promote healthy eating habits centred on environmental sustainability. The One Blue Dot campaign outlines several strategies we can easily focus on to achieve a healthy and sustainable eating pattern.

Avoid overconsumption – Aim to achieve a balance between energy intake and energy output to avoid the environmental burden of consuming excess calories. Reducing the overconsumption of food is recognised as a way to significantly improve the sustainability of our eating habits.²⁰

Increase consumption of plant protein – Livestock has the single biggest impact of any food type in terms of environmental burden.^6,21-23 On the other hand, plant-based diets have an overall lower environmental impact than diets defined by high meat consumption.^{7,9-11,14,15,24} Shifting dietary patterns to prioritise more plant sources of protein such as beans, legumes, pulses, nuts and seeds (unsalted) and soya  can help reduce the environmental burden as well as improve the nutritional quality of the diet⁶. Not keen on the idea of ‘going cold turkey’ on meat? No problem – even just reducing the quantities you eat can have a large positive impact on your health and the environment.

Moderate dairy consumption – Dairy products are a major contributor to food-related GHG emissions. Try to opt for plant-based alternatives that are fortified with calcium as well as vitamins B2, B12 and D to meet nutritional requirements.

Buy local and seasonal produce – Consuming locally sourced fruit and vegetables that are in season can reduce the need for resources associated with heating, refrigeration and transit. Additionally, eating a wide variety of foods can diversify our eating habits and nutrients so be adventurous and set a goal to try a new fruit, vegetable or wholegrain each week.

Seek out ethically sourced and sustainable seafood – If you eat fish, aim for two portions of fish per week - one of which should be oily (i.e., salmon, herring, tuna, sardines) - and  choose a variety of fish species from sustainable sources. The Marine Conservation Society maintains a ‘Good Fish Guide’ to help consumers identify the most sustainable fish species. Also look out for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) logo indicating sustainable sources of fish. As an alternative to fish, plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fats include nuts and seeds (particularly walnuts), vegetable oils (particularly linseed), as well as soya and soya products.²⁵

Waste less food and drink – Did you know that one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted?²⁶ Discarded food and drink contributes to environmental burden through use of land, water and energy during production as well as GHG (methane) emissions caused by decomposition of landfill.^3,27 Fresh produce makes up the majority of household food waste so attempt to only buy what you need and always try to be creative with leftovers.

Drink sustainably – Tap water remains the most sustainable and healthiest source of hydration, especially when consumed out of a refillable bottle or cup! Tea and coffee are also sustainable hydration sources. Soft drinks (soda) and fruit juice are significant contributors to dietary GHG emissions as they require more energy to produce and have significantly higher transport costs due to a range of ingredients, not to mention the impact of plastic waste from packaging.^6,28

What can we do to promote sustainable eating patterns in the workplace?

The workplace provides an important opportunity to integrate sustainable policies that will:

• Improve education about and knowledge of sustainable practices for employees.
• Use clear and simple language, ensuring that messages are relevant to the context and population group.
• Help employees make informed sustainable food choices through provision of information on food miles, water and land use, and/or GHG emissions when possible.
• Improve physical surroundings to increase accessibility of sustainable food and beverage options in the workplace.
• Promote the consumption of local and seasonal fruits and vegetables (without packaging) and sustainable seafood sources by making them easily accessible and visible.
• Encourage the selection and consumption of sustainable food choices through strategic placement and advertising.
• Promote healthy and sustainable portion sizes to reduce unintended overconsumption and food waste.

To learn more about sustainable eating patterns visit the British Dietetic Association One Blue Dot.

Explore the Nourishment Concept in WELL v2 pilot to learn more about interventions in buildings and communities than can support healthy and sustainable eating patterns or the WELL AP program to discover how you can get involved in the movement to create healthier spaces for people everywhere.

---

References

1. DEFRA, Government Statistical Service. The future farming and environment evidence compendium [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/683972/future-farming-environment-evidence.pdf
2. Food Climate Research Network (FCRN). Why food and climate? [Internet] 2018. Available from: https://www.fcrn.org.uk/about/why-food-and-climate
3. FCRN Food Source. FCRN Food Source. Chapter 1: An overview of food system challenges [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://foodsource.org.uk/chapters
4. IPCC. Global Warming of 1.5oC. An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5oC above pre-industrialised levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty [Internet]. 2018. Available from: http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
5. IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Press Release: Summary for Policymakers of IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5oC approved by governments [Internet]. 2018. Available from: http://www.ipcc.ch/news_and_events/pr_181008_P48_spm.shtml
6. Murakami K, Livingstone M. Greenhouse gas emissions of self-selected diets in the UK and their association with diet quality: is energy under-reporting a problem? Nutr J… 2018;17(1):27. https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5822528/
7. Macdiarmid J. Is a healthy diet an environmentally sustainable diet? Proc Nutr Soc… 2013;72(1):13-20. 35.
8. Macdiarmid J, Kyle J, Horgan G et al. Sustainable diets for the future: Can we contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eating a healthy diet? Am J Clin Nutr… 2012;96(3):632-9. 36.
9. Kramer G, Tyszler M, Veer P et al. Decreasing the overall environmental impact of the Dutch diet: how to find healthy and sustainable diets with limited changes. Public Health Nutr… 2017;20(9):1699-709 37.
10. Horgan G, Perrin A, Whybrow S et al. Achieving dietary recommendations and reducing greenhouse gas-emissions: modelling diets to minimise the change from current intakes. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act… 2016;13:46. 38.
11. Biesbroek S, Verschuren W, Boer J et al. Does a better adherence to dietary guidelines reduce mortality risk and environmental impact in the Dutch sub-cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition? Br J Nutr… 2017;118(1):69-80. 39.
12. van Dooren C, Douma A, Aiking H et al. Proposing a Novel Index Reflecting Both Climate Impact and Nutritional Impact of Food Products. Ecological Economics. 2017;131:389-98. 40.
13. González-García S, Esteve-Llorens X, Moreira M et al. Carbon footprint and nutritional quality of different human dietary choices. Sci Total Environ… 2018;644:77-94. 41.
14. Aleksandrowicz L, Green R, Joy E et al. The Impacts of Dietary Change on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, Water Use, and Health: A Systematic Review. PLoS One… 2016;11(11):10.
15. Springmann M, Godfray H, Rayner M et al. Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A… 2016;113(15):4146-51
16. PHE. The Eatwell Guide [Internet]. 2016. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/the-eatwell-guide
17. Government of Canada. Guiding Principles - Canada’s Food Guide Consultation [Internet]. 2017. Available from: https://www.foodguideconsultation.ca/guiding-principles-detailed
18. Flemish Institute for Healthy Living. Food-based dietary guidelines - Belgium [Internet]. 2018. Available from: http://www.fao.org/nutrition/education/food-based-dietary-guidelines/ regions/countries/belgium/en/
19. Kromhout D, Spaaij C, de G et al. The 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. Eur J Clin Nutr… 2016;70(8):869-78.
20. Aiking, H., de Boer, J., The next protein transition, Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2018.07.008
21. Bajzelj B, Richards K, Allwood J et al. Importance of food-demand management for climate mitigation. Nature Climate Change. 2014;4:924-9
22. FAO and UN. Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model (GLEAM) [Internet]. 2017 . Available from: http://www.fao.org/gleam/results/en
23. Green R, Milner J, Dangour A et al. The potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK through healthy and realistic dietary change. Clim Change. 2015;129(1-2):253-65.
24. Cobiac LJ, Scarborough P, Kaur A et al. The Eatwell Guide: Modelling the Health Implications of Incorporating New Sugar and Fibre Guidelines. PLoS One… 2016;11(12):10
25. Julie Lanigan (2017). Omega-3 Food Fact Sheets. [online] The British Dietetic Association (BDA). Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/omega-3
26. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Key facts on food loss and waste. Available from: http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
27. FCRN Food Source. FCRN Food Source. Chapter 3: Food systems and greenhouse gas emissions [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://foodsource.org.uk/chapters
28. Green R, Milner J, Dangour A et al. The potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK through healthy and realistic dietary change. Clim Change. 2015;129(1-2):253-65.
29. Rizzo G, Laganà A, Rapisarda A et al. Vitamin B12 among Vegetarians: Status, Assessment and Supplementation. Nutrients. 2016; 7. Zeuschner C, Hokin B, Marsh K et al. Vitamin B12 and vegetarian diets. Med J Aust. 2013;199(4 Supp):S27-32
30. Gavin, M., McCarthy, D. and Garry, P. (1994). Evidence that iron stores regulate iron absorption— a setpoint theory. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(6), pp.1376-1380.
31. Gibson R. Content and bioavailability of trace elements in vegetarian diets. Am J Clin Nutr… 1994;59(5 Suppl):1223S-32S
32. Melina, V., Craig, W. and Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), pp.1970-1980.