Description

The pressure on the environment caused by food systems

Current food systems pose a threat to human well-being and the depletion of natural resources simultaneously (1). As the global population is projected to reach around 10 billion by 2050, our food systems will need to ensure food security while promoting optimal health and minimizing environmental strain (1, 2). Achieving this objective necessitates a transformative approach to our current food systems and dietary practices.

Global food systems encompass various human activities, including agricultural production, food processing, distribution, retailing, consumption, and waste management (3). Among these activities, agricultural practices for food production have the most significant environmental impact, contributing to climate change and the depletion of natural resources (4, 5). Furthermore, they contribute substantially to the production of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGE), land use, freshwater consumption, and the degradation of marine ecosystems and biodiversity (2, 5, 6). Between 1990 and 2005, global agricultural GHGEs increased by 14%, and more recently, they have reached 30%, leading to a significant rise in global temperatures (2, 6, 7). Approximately 80% of agricultural GHGEs stem from the livestock sector, primarily related to animal-derived food production (8, 9). Additionally, croplands occupy about 40% of the Earth's land surface and consume over 70% of global freshwater withdrawals (4). While agricultural practices contribute to climate change, the repercussions of climate change, such as extreme weather events, poor air quality, droughts, and floods, pose greater risks to agricultural productivity and the quality of food (5, 9).

Beyond agricultural practices, current dietary behaviors associated with food consumption patterns also have significant negative impacts on both health and the environment (10).

The impact of dietary behaviors on health and the environment

Dietary behaviors have increasingly influenced human health and the environment. Modernization and urbanization have led to a significant shift in diets, moving away from traditional and minimally processed foods (such as vegetables, grains, and fruits) towards modernized diets characterized by high calorie content, excessive fat, high levels of processing, and limited plant diversity (7). The consumption of red meat has also witnessed a substantial increase and is projected to rise globally by 23% by 2050 (7). This dietary transition has played a major role in the rise of overweight and obesity rates and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases worldwide (11). According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study conducted by the Lancet, overweight and obesity were estimated to contribute to 3.4 million deaths in 2013 (12). Poor dietary quality not only affects overweight and obesity rates but also exacerbates food insecurity and hunger (13). While 820 million people worldwide experience food scarcity, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted throughout the food supply chain (2, 14).