scholarly journals Modeling the Effect of Environmentally Sustainable Food Swaps on Nutrient Intake in Pregnant Women

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3355
Author(s):  
Tian Wang ◽  
Allison Grech ◽  
Hasthi U. Dissanayake ◽  
Sinead Boylan ◽  
Michael R. Skilton

Food production greatly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), but there remain concerns that consuming environmentally sustainable foods can increase the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy. We identified commonly consumed foods of pregnant women and determined the effect of their replacement with environmentally sustainable alternatives on nutrient intake and measures of environmental sustainability. Dietary intake data from 171 pregnant women was assessed and foods that contributed the most to energy and protein intake were identified. Of these, foods producing the highest GHG emissions were matched with proposed environmentally sustainable alternatives, and their impact on nutrient provision determined. Meats, grains, and dairy products were identified as important sources of energy and protein. With the highest GHG emissions, beef was selected as the reference food. Proposed alternatives included chicken, eggs, fish, tofu, legumes, and nuts. The most pronounced reductions in CO2 emissions were from replacing beef with tofu, legumes, and nuts. Replacing one serve per week of beef with an isocaloric serve of firm tofu during pregnancy could reduce GHG emissions by 372 kg CO2 eq and increase folate (+28.1 µg/serve) and fiber (+3.3 g/serve) intake without compromising iron (+1.1 mg/serve) intake. Small dietary substitutions with environmentally sustainable alternatives can substantially reduce environmental impact without compromising nutrient adequacy.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 91-91
Author(s):  
Tian Wang ◽  
Allison Grech ◽  
Hasthi Dissanayake ◽  
Sinead Boylan ◽  
Michael Skilton

Abstract Objectives Adopting environmentally sustainable diets can substantially reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). However, there remain concerns that consuming sustainable foods will increase the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies in periods of increased demand, including pregnancy. This study aimed to identify commonly consumed foods of pregnant women and determine the effect of their replacement with sustainable alternatives on nutrient intake and measures of environmental sustainability. Methods Dietary intake data from 171 pregnant women were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. The food groups and food items that contributed most to energy and protein intake were identified. Of these foods, those that produce the highest GHG emissions (Poore et al. 2018) were matched with proposed sustainable alternatives for energy and protein content, and their impact on nutrient provision and sustainability measures were determined. Results Meats (bovine, poultry, fish, lamb and eggs), grains and dairy products were important sources of both energy and protein intake. With the highest GHG emissions, beef was selected as the reference food. Proposed food alternatives included lamb, chicken, eggs, fish, tofu, legumes and nuts. The most pronounced reductions in CO2 emission were from replacing beef with tofu, legumes and nuts. For example, replacing one serve of beef with an isocaloric serve of firm tofu per week during pregnancy could reduce GHG emissions by 372 kg CO2 eq, equivalent to that produced by an average passenger vehicle driving 1498 km. This replacement would not adversely impact iron (+1.1mg per serve) content, whilst providing a richer source of calcium (+294.8mg per serve), folate (+28.1µg per serve) and dietary fibre (+3.3g per serve). A once-weekly substitution of animal-derived foods for more sustainable plant-based alternatives within the context of a mixed diet has minimal effect on overall nutrient intake. Conclusions Simple dietary substitutions, as little as replacing one serve of red meat with sustainable alternatives weekly, can substantially reduce environmental impact without compromising nutrient adequacy. These sustainable food replacements should be the focus of future applied clinical research. Funding Sources No funding support for conducting this project was received.


2010 ◽  
Vol 148 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. MARASENI ◽  
G. COCKFIELD ◽  
J. MAROULIS

SUMMARYThe majority of cotton produced in Australia is exported. The Australian cotton industry must maintain product quality in order to remain globally competitive. In addition, carbon-conscious consumers need reassurance that the system used to grow the product is environmentally sustainable. The aim of the present study was to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to various farm inputs in three common types of cotton farming systems on the Darling Downs region, southern Queensland. Analysis revealed that GHG emissions for dryland solid-plant and dryland double-skip cotton farming systems are similar, but emissions are much higher for irrigated solid-plant cotton farming (1367, 1274 and 4841 kg CO2e/ha, respectively). However, if comparisons of GHG emissions are based on yield (per tonne), the positions of dryland double-skip farming and dryland solid-plant farming are reversed, but the position of irrigated cotton farming still remains as the highest GHG emitter. If the cotton industry comes under the Australian Government Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) without any subsidies and preconditions, and with a carbon price of A$25/t CO2e, the costs borne by each system would be A$66.8/t for the irrigated cotton industry, A$39.7/t for the dryland solid-plant cotton industry and A$43.6/t for the dryland double-skip cotton industry. This suggests that irrigated cotton would be more profitable in financial terms but with heavy environmental sustainability costs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 001391652199547
Author(s):  
Christina Potter ◽  
Anastasios Bastounis ◽  
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce ◽  
Cristina Stewart ◽  
Kerstin Frie ◽  
...  

This review assessed the effects of environmental labels on consumers’ demand for more sustainable food products. Six electronic databases were searched for experimental studies of ecolabels and food choices. We followed standard Cochrane methods and results were synthesized using vote counting. Fifty-six studies ( N = 42,768 participants, 76 interventions) were included. Outcomes comprised selection ( n = 14), purchase ( n = 40) and consumption ( n = 2). The ecolabel was presented as text ( n = 36), logo ( n = 13) or combination ( n = 27). Message types included: organic ( n = 25), environmentally sustainable ( n = 27), greenhouse gas emissions ( n = 17), and assorted “other” message types ( n = 7). Ecolabels were tested in actual ( n = 15) and hypothetical ( n = 41) environments. Thirty-nine studies received an unclear or high RoB rating. Sixty comparisons favored the intervention and 16 favored control. Ecolabeling with a variety of messages and formats was associated with the selection and purchase of more sustainable food products.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulistyawati Sulistyawati ◽  
Ani Margawati ◽  
Ali Rosidi ◽  
Suhartono Suhartono

Background: Anemia in pregnant women in Brebes Regency, Central Java in 2016 was still high at 60.7%. Brebes Regency is an area of onion farming with a high intensity of pesticide use. Objectives: This study aimed to prove the history of pesticide exposure and lack of nutrient intake (iron and vitamin C) was risk factor for the incidence of anemia in pregnant women in agricultural area. Methods: Case control study with 41 cases (anemia) and 41 controls (non-anemia) as study subjects. The subjects were selected using purposive sampling method. Pesticide exposure history included the involvement of pregnant women in agricultural activities, frequency of exposure and length of exposure was measured by interview using structured questionnaire. Anemia data were obtained by measuring hemoglobin levels. Other independent variables measured were nutritional intake (protein, iron, and vitamin C) using semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) method to determine the level of nutrient adequacy in pregnant women. Data were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression.Result: Hemoglobin levels in the case ranged from 7.2 g/dl to 10.9 g/dl. The results of multivariate logistic regression showed that pesticide exposure history (OR= 4.9, 95% CI:1.75-13.67), level of iron adequacy (OR = 2.9, 95% CI:1.06– 8.29) and level of vitamin C adequacy (OR = 3.4, 95% CI:1.10– 10.28) as risk factors for the incidence of anemia in pregnant women in agricultural area.Conclusion: The history of pesticide exposure and lack of nutrient intake (iron and vitamin C) was risk factor for the incidence of anemia in pregnant women in agricultural area.


Author(s):  
Indriyati Kamil ◽  
Oekan S Abdoellah ◽  
Herlina Agustin ◽  
Iriana Bakti

This article highlights the dynamics of geothermal energy in the Kamojang nature reserve in Indonesia. A nature reserve is a conservation area that must be protected and preserved, because it has unique flora and fauna, and rare ecosystems whose existence is threatened with extinction. After going through a long study process by an integrated team, the government finally made a policy to change the function of the nature reserve into a Nature Tourism Park. Changes in policy changes to the function of nature reserves cause pros and cons in the community, and cause conflicts between government and environmental activists. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that cause changes in the function of nature reserves into natural tourism parks in the Kamojang conservation area of Indonesia, as well as to identify appropriate communication models in the management of geothermal energy through communication and environmentally sustainable approaches. Research findings show that the factors that cause changes in the function of nature reserves into tourist parks include; the interests of geothermal energy to meet national energy needs and electricity infrastructure, accommodate the needs of surrounding communities that utilize water resources in conservation areas, and restore ecosystems. The communication model for geothermal energy management that we propose at the same time is also a novelty namely; ecopopulism approach, negotiation approach, collaboration, and equating meaning and orientation to environmental sustainability. Type of Paper: Empirical Keywords: Geothermal Energy, Nature Reserves, Conservation Policies, Communication Models and Sustainable Development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Borgonovo ◽  
Cecilia Conti ◽  
Daniela Lovarelli ◽  
Valentina Ferrante ◽  
Marcella Guarino

Ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from livestock farms contribute to negative environmental impacts such as acidification and climate change. A significant part of these emissions is produced from the decomposition of slurry in livestock facilities, during storage and treatment phases. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the additive “SOP LAGOON” (made of agricultural gypsum processed with proprietary technology) on (i) NH3 and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, (ii) slurry properties and N loss. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to assess the potential environmental impact associated with stored slurry treated with the additive. Six barrels were filled with 65 L of cattle slurry, of which three were used as a control while the additive was used in the other three. The results indicated that the use of the additive led to a reduction of total nitrogen, nitrates, and GHG emissions. LCA confirmed the higher environmental sustainability of the scenario with the additive for some environmental impact categories among which climate change. In conclusion, the additive has beneficial effects on both emissions and the environment, and the nitrogen present in the treated slurry could partially displace a mineral fertilizer, which can be considered an environmental credit.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2677
Author(s):  
Anastasios Bastounis ◽  
John Buckell ◽  
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce ◽  
Brian Cook ◽  
Sarah King ◽  
...  

Food production is a major contributor to environmental damage. More environmentally sustainable foods could incur higher costs for consumers. In this review, we explore whether consumers are willing to pay (WTP) more for foods with environmental sustainability labels (‘ecolabels’). Six electronic databases were searched for experiments on consumers’ willingness to pay for ecolabelled food. Monetary values were converted to Purchasing Power Parity dollars and adjusted for country-specific inflation. Studies were meta-analysed and effect sizes with confidence intervals were calculated for the whole sample and for pre-specified subgroups defined as meat-dairy, seafood, and fruits-vegetables-nuts. Meta-regressions tested the role of label attributes and demographic characteristics on participants’ WTP. Forty-three discrete choice experiments (DCEs) with 41,777 participants were eligible for inclusion. Thirty-five DCEs (n = 35,725) had usable data for the meta-analysis. Participants were willing to pay a premium of 3.79 PPP$/kg (95%CI 2.7, 4.89, p ≤ 0.001) for ecolabelled foods. WTP was higher for organic labels compared to other labels. Women and people with lower levels of education expressed higher WTP. Ecolabels may increase consumers’ willingness to pay more for environmentally sustainable products and could be part of a strategy to encourage a transition to more sustainable diets.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5661
Author(s):  
Raffaele Matacena ◽  
Mariangela Zenga ◽  
Marco D’Addario ◽  
Silvia Mari ◽  
Massimo Labra

The COVID-19 emergency and the consequent social distancing requirements have caused major disruptions in daily food-related practices at the household level. In this paper, we evaluate the transformations that occurred in the daily nutritional choices and behaviors of a convenience sample (n = 2288) of Italian residents during the first nation-wide lockdown (March–May 2020) to assess the impact on the health and socio-environmental sustainability of their diets. Results portray a scenario of wide-spread change, especially in relation to the quantity of daily food consumed, the composition of diets and the time and commitment devoted to home-cooking, with young individuals emerging as the most impacted generational cohort. Through the construction of an indicator for healthy–sustainable transition (HST index), we demonstrate that such changes unfold on a gradient, revealing that while for many respondents lockdown nutrition implied overeating and weight gain, a substantial segment of the population conversely improved the healthiness and sustainability of their daily nutritional patterns. In this sense, improvements are associated with young age, socio-economic status, frequency and enjoyment of cooking-from-scratch and, more generally, an attentive attitude towards the quality, provenance and materiality of food that, in turn, the COVID-19 crisis appears to have re-kindled. We conclude by highlighting five areas of institutional intervention (i.e., young people, time, tools, food supply at work, and local food chains) on which to focus in order to ensure the current crisis does not represent a missed opportunity for creating the necessary conditions for sustainable food production and consumption to take hold as the ‘new’ normal in the post-pandemic era.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Noor Rohmah Mayasari ◽  
Tzu-Yu Hu ◽  
Jane C-J Chao ◽  
Chyi-Huey Bai ◽  
Yi Chun Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: The coexistence of underweight (UW) and overweight (OW)/obese (OB) at the population level is known to affect iron-deficiency anemia (IDA), but how the weight status affects erythropoiesis during pregnancy is less clear at a population scale. This study investigated associations between the pre-pregnancy body mass index (pBMI) and erythropoiesis-related nutritional deficiencies. Design: Anthropometry, blood biochemistry, and 24-h dietary recall data were collected during prenatal care visits. The weight status was defined based on the pBMI. Mild nutrition deficiency-related erythropoiesis was defined if individuals had an ID, folate depletion, or a vitamin B12 deficiency. Setting: The Nationwide Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (Pregnant NAHSIT 2017-2019). Participants: We included 1456 women aged 20 to 45 years with singleton pregnancies. Results: Among these pregnant women, 9.6% were UW, and 29.2% were either OW (15.8%) or OB (13.4%). A U-shaped association between the pBMI and IDA was observed, with decreased odds (OR; 95% CI) for OW subjects (0.6; 0.4˜0.9) but increased odds for UW (1.2; 0.8˜2.0) and OB subjects (1.2; 0.8˜1.8). The pBMI was positively correlated with the prevalence of a mild nutritional deficiency. Compared to normal weight (NW), OB pregnant women had 3.4-fold (3.4; 1.4˜8.1) higher odds for multiple mild nutritional deficiencies, while UW individuals had lowest odds (0.3; 0.1-1.2). A dietary analysis showed negative relationships of pBMI with energy, carbohydrates, protein, iron, and folate intakes, but positive relationship with fat intakes. Conclusion: The pre-pregnancy weight status can possibly serve as a good nutritional screening tool for preventing IDA during pregnancy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Chalmer

Global food security is dependent on ecologically viable production systems, but current agricultural practices are often at odds with environmental sustainability. Resolving this disparity is a huge task, but there is much that can be learned from traditional food production systems that persisted for thousands of years. Ecoagriculture for a Sustainable Food Future describes the ecological history of food production systems in Australia, showing how Aboriginal food systems collapsed when European farming methods were imposed on bushlands. The industrialised agricultural systems that are now prevalent across the world require constant input of finite resources, and continue to cause destructive environmental change. This book explores the damage that has arisen from farming systems unsuited to their environment, and presents compelling evidence that producing food is an ecological process that needs to be rethought in order to ensure resilient food production into the future. Cultural sensitivity Readers are warned that there may be words, descriptions and terms used in this book that are culturally sensitive, and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts. While this information may not reflect current understanding, it is provided by the author in a historical context.


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