Investigating Sustainable Food Habits by Using Novel Carbon-Footprint Method – A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Investigating Sustainable Food Habits by Using Novel Carbon-Footprint Method
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54393/df.v6i4.184Keywords:
Nutrition, Carbon Footprint, Sustainable Diets, Dietary Intake, Environmental HealthAbstract
Environmental sustainability and nutrition are two emerging issues in public health that have become interdependent. The eating trends not only dictate the health outcomes of individuals but also the sources of greenhouse gases in the world. Objectives: To establish the relationship between food patterns and the carbon footprint of university students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Food intake data were measured using a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in 400 participants, and carbon emissions were estimated using the values of the life-cycle assessment (LCA). Results: Carbon footprints of meat-intensive diets were significantly higher compared to those of vegetarian diets. The Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) for meat-heavy was 72.6 ± 6.0 and for plant-forward diets was 72.6 ± 5.0, respectively. The emission of meat-based diets (5.2 ± 0.1 kg CO2-equivalent per day) was much higher than that of plant-based diets (2.9 ± 0.8 kg CO2-equivalent per day; p=0.001). Red meat generated 52% of all emissions in meat-based diets compared to the 0:14% in plant-based ones, with cereals and milk being moderate contributors and vegetables and legumes being minor contributors. Regression analysis revealed that higher emissions were predicted by the consumption of red meat (β = 0.44) and residing in urban areas (β = 0.54). Conclusions: The results suggest that simple changes to the diet, which decrease red meat consumption and increase the consumption of plant foods, can reduce carbon emissions but not decrease the nutritional sufficiency.
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