Florian Wipfli (Theme 4)
Changing the behaviour of one of our most essential daily needs could do a lot not only for the environment but also for our health. But what are the impacts and consequences of our eating habits?
Most people heard about different diets they could follow and most of them even tried one by themselves. Especially nowadays one can see that the topic of diets getting more and more involved in our daily life. As we go shopping, we can see new vegetarian and vegan products in a broad range. Also, restaurants themselves are adapting their cards and even fully vegetarian or vegan restaurants open these days. Furthermore, people all over the world talking about it and share their experiences with friends and followers, which makes it easy to see that even when you are an athlete you can follow a vegan diet. But beside the health aspect how sustainable are these diets when it comes to the environment.
Environmental aspects of diets
Protein based diet
Our eating habit has changed a lot over the past centauries and will also change in the future. Especially the protein consumption has increased significantly and has reached a point where we consume much more protein than the average person every day would need. The protein we consume in Europe is mostly animal-based protein and just a bit of plant-based protein and this causes a lot of GHG emissions. Furthermore, has the consumption of animal-based protein increased highly and the plant-based protein just a little. This numbers are the same for whole Europe and the US, however in other parts of the world it is evenly distributed (Latin-America, Brazil, Russia) or even vice versa. Especially countries like India or African countries consume most of their proteins plant based. The reason for this is mainly the financial differences of this countries compared to Europe for example. (SHIFTING DIETS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE, 2016) Regarding the environmental impact of animal-based protein we have to say that this causes huge impact on the environment. In terms of water use and GHG emissions plant- based protein is much better compared to animal-based protein as we can see in figure 1. (SHIFTING DIETS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE, 2016)
More Calories
Not only the protein factor has a huge influence on the diet also the calories consumed are important. The calorie consumption in several regions (Europe, US, Latin-Amerika, Brazil, Middle East) is already over the average daily requirement. This will most probably increase in the future which leads especially to an unhealthier lifestyle and an overproduction of food which is not essentially needed. (SHIFTING DIETS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE, 2016)
Figure 1 Environmental impact of protein diet (SHIFTING DIETS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE, 2016)
Health impact of diets
Disease sand obesity
Not only has the diet an impact on the environment but also on the human itself it can do a lot of harm. With the over consummation of calories, the obesity rate has increased significantly in well developed countries such as US or Europe. Also, other disease has increased because we consume to many calories such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. In fact, cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide and diabetes has I high mortality rate. Therefore, one can see that diets can help increasing a healthy life significantly. (Hemler & Hu, 2019)
Diets prevent diseases
Plant-based diets can help preventing a various number of chronic diseases. It can lower the risk of strokes, cardiovascular diseases and lower the whole mortality rate of people. Not all plant-based diets are equally healthy, especially the consummation of sweetened beverages, sweets, or vegetables such as potatoes/fries have a smaller positive outcome on the human health than other plant-base diets. But in general, are plant-based diets healthier for the human body than animal- based diets. (Hemler & Hu, 2019)
Why don’t we change?
The reason why the obesity rate is still increasing is that mostly already processed and unhealthy food is much cheaper than healthy food. Especially in the US unhealthy and pre-prepared food is always and everywhere available. And because the daily life becomes more and more quick it is essential for many people to safe time and they will do it in the sake of food. Since it is cheap and quickly available many people tend to go for this solution. Studies have shown that areas with a lower fast-food restaurant’s density have less problem with obese people than areas with a high density of fast-food restaurants. Since there are this high calories, pre-prepared meals have been available more, also the methods of movement have changed. This leads to an additional unhealthy effect since people don’t move as much and still eat food with less nutrition’s but higher calories. (Hemler & Hu, 2019)
Killing two birds with one stone
Benefits of change
By shifting the diets of people, the environment as well as the health of human beings could get significantly better. It would reducing chronical diseases and decrease the mortality rate and can help to boos the general well-being of people. On the other hand, would a plant-based diet help to reduce several environmental issues. It would safe a lot of agricultural land, water and GHG emissions. It is so to speak a win-win situation not only for us but also for the environment we live in. We could tackle different problems with respectively small changes. With just switching to eat just a little or no red meat we could save a lot of GHG emissions, water, and land. (Pimentel & Pimentel, 2003)
How to change?
By trying out diets and varying food many people already concluded that it doesn’t have to be everyday meat on the plate. With having role models in sport or other fields, who encourage people that different diets can be suitable for everyone, also more people try out these diets. Especially, nowadays the upcoming generations are aware of the impact diets have on the climate and on themselves and are willing to adapt their eating behaviour. Still can be done more especially educational wise. Also, on the government site more help in form of for example sugar- or fat-taxes could be made to encourage more people to live healthier and more environmentally friendly. Another point would be to decrease the prices of healthy food and increase the price for unhealthy food. (Hemler & Hu, 2019)
Sources
SHIFTING DIETS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE. (2016). https://catalogue.unccd.int/636_Shifting_Diets_Sustainable_Food_Future.pdf
Hemler, E. C. & Hu, F. B. (2019, 15. November). Plant-Based Diets for Personal, Population, and Planetary Health. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/10/Supplement_4/S275/5624061?login=true
Pimentel, D. & Pimentel, M. (2003, 1. September). Sustainability of meat-based and plant- based diets and the environment. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/78/3/660S/4690010?login=true