Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices
A public talk in April by Plant-based Living Initiative will examine healthy eating and impacts both on the body and world climate.
In January of this year, it was announced that 2016 was our warmest year on record- surpassing records set in both 2015 and 2014[1]. Our world is now 0.87 degrees Centigrade warmer than it was in 1880, and, given our current trajectory, we are set to reach 4 degrees by the end of this century [2]. Steady warming over recent decades has already caused overwhelming climate-related impacts for populations around the globe [3].
Although shifting to a low-carbon world poses significant challenges, the agricultural sector presents us with an area of great, but lesser-known, opportunity. Simply decreasing our intake of those food products that have large carbon footprints goes a long way toward mitigating climate change [4].
The notion that personal food choices might play a role in environmental sustainability and, more specifically, in reducing our impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, has been gaining momentum [5].
Around the world, climate impacts (in the form of GHGs) associated with the production of various foods have been assessed, offering insight into opportunities for more sustainable population-wide eating patterns [6]. The typical ‘Western’ eating pattern, for example, is especially problematic [7].
Furthermore, poor eating habits have long been known to play a significant role in the establishment and progression of common chronic diseases- including overweight and obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disesases (including heart disease and stroke), and certain cancers [8].
Chronic disease is now the foremost cause of global mortality, accounting for nearly 70% of deaths [9]. In New Zealand, chronic diseases contribute 88% of the current national burden of ill-health [10]. A well-established body of research tells us that healthy choices confer substantial benefit, offering protection against these illnesses [11].
While both climate and health-related threats are certainly great, there is also much reason for optimism within our society. This free public presentation will address the link between our everyday food choices, climate impacts, and personal health.
Please join members of Plant-Based Living Initiative on Thursday, April 6th, at 6:00pm at the Dunedin City Library for this exciting discussion. Healthy snacks will be provided for all.
Presenters:
Anna deMello
Registered Dietitian (R.D.), Master of Science (M.Sc.) Human Nutrition
Jono Drew
Medical Student, University of Otago Bachelor of Medical Sciences with Honours research topic- climate and health co-benefits
Anna and Jono are both founding members of Plant-Based Living Initiative.
Thursday April 6, 2017, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin Public Library
References:
[1] NASA. (2017). NASA, NOAA Data Show 2016 Warmest Year on Record Globally [Press release].
[3] Watts, N., Adger, W. N., Agnolucci, P., Blackstock, J., Byass, P., Cai, W., . . . Costello, A. (2015). Health and climate change: policy responses to protect public health. The Lancet, 386(10006), 1861-1914. doi:10.1016/s01406736(15)60854-6
[4] GISTEMP, T. (2017). GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP).
[5] IPCC. (2014a). Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment
[6] Scarborough, P., Appleby, P. N., Mizdrak, A., Briggs, A. D. M., Travis, R. C., Bradbury, K. E., & Key, T. J. (2014). Dietary greenhouse gas emissions of meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans in the UK. Climatic Change, 125(2), 179192. doi:10.1007/s10584-014-1169-1
[7] Carlsson-Kanyama, A., & González, A. D. (2009). Potential contributions of food consumption patterns to climate change. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 89(5), 1704S-1709S.
[8] Melina, V., Craig, W., & Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), 1970-1980. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025
[9] World Health Organization. (2014a). Global status report on non-communicable diseases 2014. (9241564857)
[10] MOH. (2016a). Health Loss in New Zealand 1990–2013: A report from the New Zealand Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study. Retrieved from Wellington: Ministry of Health.
[11] Melina, V., Craig, W., & Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), 1970-1980.