Changing Dietary Behavior for Better Biodiversity Preservation: A Preliminary Study

Broadly consumed dietary patterns, such as the European and Western ones, are exerting pressures on biodiversity both in Europe and globally, and shifting toward a sustainable dietary pattern has thus become a must. This paper constitutes a preliminary communication of the results of a research project on the issue. In this study, the pressures of three dietary patterns (European, Western, and Mediterranean) on biodiversity are addressed in terms of land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophication impact indicators. The environmental impacts are calculated based on a compositional analysis of each dietary pattern and the environmental footprints of the corresponding food groups. Food balance sheets published by the FAO are used as a basis for the compositional analysis, while the environmental footprints of each of the representative food products are retrieved from related life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. The results show that a shift from the European to the Mediterranean dietary pattern would lead to 10 m2/capita/day land savings, 240 L/capita/day water savings, 3 kg CO2/capita/day reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and 20 gPO4eq/capita/day reductions in eutrophication potential. Likewise, a shift from the Western to the Mediterranean dietary pattern would lead to 18 m2/capita/day land savings, 100 L/capita/day water savings, 4 kg CO2/capita/day reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and 16 gPO4eq/capita/day reduction in eutrophication potential. Based on these findings, it is clear that this shift is urgently needed as a step toward environmentally sustainable dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean one, to preserve biodiversity for future generations.

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Global sustainability (health, environment and monetary costs) of three dietary patterns: results from a Spanish cohort (the SUN project)

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021541 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. e021541 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Ujué Fresán ◽

Miguel Angel Martínez-González ◽

Joan Sabaté ◽

Maira Bes-Rastrollo

Keyword(s):

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Pattern ◽

Composite Endpoint ◽

University Graduates ◽

Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ◽

Environmental Footprints ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Incident Cases ◽

Sun Project

ObjectiveTo evaluate the sustainability of the dietary patterns, according to their effects on health and environment and their affordability.DesignProspective, ongoing cohort study of university graduates.SettingsThe Spanish SUN project (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra Follow-up), starting from 1999.ParticipantsA total of 18 429 participants.MethodsInformation from participants is collected every 2 years by validated questionnaires. We assessed three dietary patterns (the Mediterranean, the Western and the Provegetarian dietary patterns). The rate advancement period (RAP) was used to assess the healthiness of each pattern (considering the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer or type 2 diabetes). We also assessed environmental footprints and monetary costs of each dietary pattern.ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 10.1 years, we identified 469 incident cases of the composite endpoint. The Mediterranean dietary pattern exhibited the best RAP (3.10 years gained [95% CI 4.35 to 1.85] for the highest vs the lowest quartile), while the Western pattern was the unhealthiest pattern (1.33 years lost when comparing extreme quartiles). In a scale between 4 and 16 of harmful environmental effects (the lower, the more environmentally friendly), the Provegetarian pattern scored best (8.82 [95% CI 8.75 to 8.88] when comparing extreme quartiles), whereas the Western pattern was the most detrimental pattern (10.80 [95% CI 10.72 to 10.87]). Regarding monetary costs, the Western pattern was the most affordable pattern (€5.87/day [95% CI 5.82 to 5.93], for the upper quartile), while the Mediterranean pattern was the most expensive pattern (€7.52/day [95% CI 7.47 to 7.56]). The Mediterranean dietary pattern was the most overall sustainable option, closely followed by the Provegetarian pattern. The least overall sustainable pattern was the Western dietary pattern.ConclusionFollowing plant-based diets, like the Mediterranean or Provegetarian dietary patterns, could be a good option in order to achieve an overall sustainable diet.Trial registration numberNCT02669602; Results.

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Contribution of different life cycle stages to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with three balanced dietary patterns

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.267 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 660 ◽

pp. 622-630 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sara Corrado ◽

Gloria Luzzani ◽

Marco Trevisan ◽

Lucrezia Lamastra

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Gas Emissions ◽

Life Cycle Stages

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Maternal Dietary Patterns during Pregnancy and Their Association with Gestational Weight Gain and Nutrient Adequacy

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17217908 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (21) ◽

pp. 7908

Author(s):

Naomi Cano-Ibáñez ◽

Juan Miguel Martínez-Galiano ◽

Miguel Angel Luque-Fernández ◽

Sandra Martín-Peláez ◽

Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Gestational Weight Gain ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Pattern ◽

Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ◽

Nutrient Adequacy ◽

Gestational Weight ◽

The Mediterranean

Several epidemiologic studies have shown an association between Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) and offspring complications. The GWG is directly linked to maternal dietary intake and women’s nutritional status during pregnancy. The aim of this study was (1) to assess, in a sample of Spanish pregnant women, the association between maternal dietary patterns and GWG and (2) to assess maternal dietary patterns and nutrient adequate intake according to GWG. A retrospective study was conducted in a sample of 503 adult pregnant women in five hospitals in Eastern Andalusia (Spain). Data on demographic characteristics, anthropometric values, and dietary intake were collected from clinical records by trained midwives. Usual food intake was gathered through a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary patterns were obtained by principal component analysis. Nutrient adequacy was defined according to European dietary intake recommendations for pregnant women. Regression models adjusted by confounding factors were constructed to study the association between maternal dietary pattern and GWG, and maternal dietary patterns and nutritional adequacy. A negative association was found between GWG and the Mediterranean dietary pattern (crude β = −0.06, 95% CI: −0.11, −0.04). Independent of maternal dietary pattern, nutrient adequacy of dietary fiber, vitamin B9, D, E, and iodine was related to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (p < 0.05). A Mediterranean dietary pattern is related to lower GWG and better nutrient adequacy. The promotion of healthy dietary behavior consistent with the general advice promoted by the Mediterranean Diet (based on legumes, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and whole cereals) will offer healthful, sustainable, and practical strategies to control GWG and ensure adequate nutrient intake during pregnancy.

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Potential Impacts of Commercial Weight Loss Diet Recommendations on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States (P04-169-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz051.p04-169-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca Ramsing ◽

Brent Kim ◽

Roni Neff

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Large Scale ◽

The United States ◽

Assessment Model ◽

Gas Emissions ◽

Weight Watchers

Abstract Objectives To understand potential climate implications of dietary patterns associated with commercial weight loss diets, we tested the hypothesis that different consumption patterns of six commercial weight loss diets would shift United States greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) if followed on a large scale. Methods An estimated 50–70% of adults are interested in controlling their weight with diets, many advocating lower carbohydrate, higher fat and higher animal protein intake. While considerable research exists on the environmental and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) implications of dietary patterns, no identified work has focused similarly on weight loss diets. Atkins, Biggest Loser, DASH, Weight Watchers, Keto and Whole30 diets were selected for this study based on consumer visibility, market share, and documented efficacy. Official 1-week sample plans were collected to create representative samples of each diet and converted to unprocessed primary equivalents. Cradle-to-farm gate GHGEs for individual food items were adapted from FAO's Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model and 732 data points from 115 life cycle assessment studies. Results Estimated GHGEs varied significantly across the diet meal plans. Whole30 and showed the highest GHGEs per capita, while Keto, Biggest Loser and Atkins were lower but over twice that of DASH and Weight Watchers, which had the lowest. The largest single category value for each diet was bovine meat, suggesting that lowering recommendations for consumption of bovine meat could significantly decrease the GHGEs of each diet. Conclusions Our results provide a better understanding of potential costs and benefits associated with dietary recommendations for weight loss, critical to identifying impactful opportunities to shift dietary patterns toward public health and ecological goals, particularly reducing meat and increasing consumption of vegetables and pulses. Funding Sources Support provided by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) with a gift from the GRACE Communications Foundation.

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