Sustainable nutrition security

Transcription

1 Sustainable nutrition security A Round Table on Public Health Perspectives Adam Drewnowski, PhD Director, Center for Public Health Nutrition UW Center for Obesity Research and the Nutritional Sciences Program Professor of Epidemiology; Adjunct Professor of Medicine University of Washington, Seattle, WA CIMSANS Round Table on public-private pertnerships in sustainable nutrition security. Dublin 04/10/2013 1

2 What are sustainable diets By common consensus, sustainable diets are those with low environmental impact on land, water and energy resources. The Food and Agriculture Organization has defined sustainable diets as nutritionally adequate, economically affordable, culturally acceptable, accessible, healthy and safe. Such diets are sparing of both human and natural resources.

3 Public sector perspectives There are many existing European and national frameworks and priorities for sustainable nutrition security. What are emerging research issues? Are healthy diets environmentally friendly? Are healthy diets too expensive? Are healthy diets sustainable? What are likely consequences for health? What consequences for undernutrition? What consequences for obesity and diabetes?

4 Joint Programming Initiatives The European Commission promotes an enhanced research cooperation in in Europe to address major societal challenges. The Joint Programming Initiative is a European process, by which Member States come together to define, develop, and implement a joint vision document with a common strategic research agenda. The goal is to address major societal challenges that no individual Member State is capable of handling independently.

5 Food Security and Climate Change - JPI The Strategic Research Agenda of the JPI on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE JPI) was released on December 5th FACCE-JPI sets out the strategic priorities for transdisciplinary and innovative European research on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change. FACCE-JPI provides a framework for the alignment of existing programmes and joint research efforts to achieve the twin objectives of food security and combating climate change. The Governing Board comprises representatives of the 21 countries currently participating in this JPI. It is currently chaired by Marion Guillou (INRA, France).

6 A healthy diet for a healthy life HDHL-JPI The JPI A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life JPI-HDHL has proclaimed an overly ambitious vision: By 2030 all Europeans will have the motivation, ability and opportunity to consume a healthy diet from a variety of foods and have healthy levels of physical activity, and that the incidence of diet-related diseases will have decreased significantly. Food production, human nutrition and the incidence of dietrelated diseases are becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing scientific, economic and societal environments. High quality diets and proper physical activity are the most critical determinants in human health and for quality of life in an ageing society.

7 The ERA-NET SUSFOOD SUSFOOD stands for SUStainable FOOD production and consumption. The European transnational research cooperation project, consists of a network of 25 partners from 16 European countries. As an ERA-Net, SUSFOOD aims at setting up a European strategic research agenda by increasing cooperation and synergy between the European partners. SUSFOOD will enhance collaboration and coordination between research programmes on sustainable food production and consumption. The ERA-NET SUSFOOD defines sustainability in the food area as a food system that supports food security, makes optimal use of natural and human resources and respects biodiversity and eco - systems for present and future generations, which is culturally acceptable and accessible, environmentally sound and economically fair and viable, and which provides the consumer with nutritionally adequate, safe, healthy and affordable food.

8 INRA scientific priorities Improve all aspects of agriculture. Ensure healthy and sustainable diets: Research must face the unprecedented challenge of dealing with the dual burden of under-nutrition and obesity, keeping carbon footprint of foods in check, and promoting social acceptance. To limit and adapt to global warming.

9 The goal is to make Eurofoods: Nutritious, Affordable, Safe Culturally acceptable, Sustainable and Convenient

10 Will the consumer care?

11 Taste drives food purchases Energy dense Good taste Affordable Culturally Acceptable Food choices Eating behavior Nutrient dense Safe Healthy Sustainable

12 Good for you, good for the planet? Are healthier diets more expensive? Energy-dense fats and sweets are inexpensive, good-tasting, and convenient - but can be nutrient-poor. Low-energy-density foods are rich in nutrients but may cost more per calorie. How should food/diet cost be measured? Are healthier diets more sustainable? Locally sourced produce may not have the lowest carbon cost. What about animal products (meat, dairy) versus plants?

13 What are sustainable foods? Carbon cost Water cost Biodiversity cost Dietary intake data from INCA II Nutrient composition data ANSES CIQUAL database 1500 foods Energy Density Kcal/100g Nutrient density Carbon cost French sources 600 foods Carbon Cost GHGE/ 1000 kcal Carbon cost 21

14 The Paradox Energy dense foods (grains, fats, sweets) are cheap and have low greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE expressed as g CO2 /100g). Energy dense foods can have fewer nutrients. Nutrient dense foods (vegetables, meat, dairy) are more expensive and have higher greenhouse gas emissions. But they are healthier for you, not necessarily the planet. How do we decide whether higher GHGEs are offset by higher nutrient content? Where should the balance be? What metrics will we need?.

15 Mean GHGEs vary by food group

16 Base of calculation is key: GHGE per 100 g

17 Base of calculation is key: GHGE per 100 kcal

18 GHGS 100g increase with energy density

19 GHGS 100g increase with energy density

20 GHGS 100kcal drop with energy density

21 GHGS portion increase with nutrient density

22 The Supermarket project Values for greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE expressed as g CO2 /100g) for 650 foods and beverages were provided by the Casino group. Nutrient composition of foods and beverages was obtained from the CIQUAL database developed by the French Agency for Food, Environmental, Occupational and Health and Safety (ANSES). The foods were aggregated into 45 food groups. GHGE values were log transformed. Analyses of the relation between GHGE values and nutrient content of foods were conducted for individual foods and for 45 food groups.

23 What do sustainable diets cost?

24 Given the right food choices and the right cultural context diets can be nutrient rich, affordable and sustainable Thank you