Excessive Food Consumption in Irish Adults. Implications for Climatic Sustainability and Public Health

Transcription

1 Excessive Food Consumption in Irish Adults. Implications for Climatic Sustainability and Public Health Sinéad N McCarthy 1, Daniel O Rourke 1, 2, John Kearney 2, Mary McCarthy 3, Maeve Henchion 1, JJ Hyland 1 1 Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown Dublin, Ireland 2 Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin, Ireland 3 University College Cork

2 INTRODUCTION

3 Introduction 1: Diet and Climate Many recommendations to change food consumption patterns from animal based protein to plant based protein based on modelling studies changes in land use foods to replace animal protein? relies heavily significant consumer behaviour change Recommendations should be effective

4 Introduction 2: Diet and Health Food-based dietary guidelines give a general indication of what a population should be eating to address public health concerns in particular obesity Excessive energy consumption is a contributing factor for obesity and therefore many countries have guidelines for energy intake and dietary recommendations to reduce it.

5 Recommended and Actual Daily Energy Intakes in Irish Adults Gender/Age (years) DREI kcal (inactive) DREI kcal (mod active) NANS 2010 NSIFCS 2000 Men (19-50) Women (19-50) Men (51+) Women (51+)

6 Introduction 3: Diet, Climate and Health Sustainable diets have been defined by the FAO as: diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources

7 Food Consumption Patterns and Sustainability Irelands dietary GHGE (6.5kg CO 2 eq/d) are comparable to UK (7.3kg CO 2 eq/d) and EU (7.1kgCO 2 eq/d) Previous published research from our group has shown that certain food consumption patterns are associated with better nutrition guideline achievement as well as lower GHGEs Hyland et al, PHN, IJFST, MS, 2017

8 Population Segmentation based on patterns of dietary greenhouse gas emissions Distinguishing food groups: Processed meat Savoury snacks Alcohol Total: 7.4 kg CO 2 eq Unsustainable 25% Distinguishing food groups: Fruit & veg Fish Low red meat Dairy Total:6.4 kg CO 2 eq Nutritionally Sustainable 26% Distinguishing food groups: Red meat Dairy Starchy staples Total: 6.3 kg CO 2 eq Culturally Sustainable 48%

9 Food groups contribution to GHGE in emission patterns of men (n=470) - GHGE (g CO 2 eq) Unsustainable Starchy staples 657 Dairy 607 Vegetables 36 Fruit 28 Red meat 2131 Eggs, poultry, pork 707 Fish 96 Processed meat 685 Savoury snacks 606 Alcohol 1749 Total (kgco 2 eq) 9.0 Nutritionally Sustainable Culturally Sustainable

10 The objective of this research is to identify if there is a sweet spot where, diet, health and climate can co-exist in the same set of food guidelines

11 METHODOLOGY

12 Methods: Food consumption National Adult Nutrition Survey: Dietary intakes of a representative sample of 1,500 adults aged Recorded over 4 days (week & weekend days) Approx 3,000 food items recorded Demographic, socio-economic, education profiles

13 TODAY S DATE 07 Jan DAY Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun (Please circle one) Thursday TIME 1pm THIS MEAL IS CALLED LUNCH (e.g. SNACK, LUNCH, DINNER) WHERE MEAL/SNACK WAS EATEN WORK (e.g. HOME, WORK, RESTAURANT) WHERE MEAL/SNACK WAS PREPARED HOME (e.g. HOME, CANTEEN) FOOD OR DRINK (PLEASE DESCRIBE IN DETAIL) AMOUNT OR WEIGHT (g) OF FOOD AMOUNT AND DESCRIPTION OF ANY LEFTOVERS (IF ANY) COOKING METHOD (IF COOKED) BRAND FOOD/DRINK PACKAGING TYPE SIZE Brown toast 2 slices None grilled Brenn ans Wax paper 500g pan Butter none Tesco Foil 250g Tea 1 mug Half mug boiled Lyons Card 600 Milk Half mug Avon more Cheese 3 slices none Dubli ner Card Wax paper 1ltr 200g pack

14 Methods: GHG emissions Life cycle assessment (LCA) Considered production - consumer waste Identify and assign appropriate emission factors to each of the 67 food groups gco 2 eq/g Food item Each of the 67 food groups were converted to CO 2 equivalents and reduced to 16 summary food groups. First time such analyses have been carried out in Ireland.

15 RESULTS

16 Positive significant relationship with EI & dietary CO2 emissions Pearson Correlation = 0.738; P<0.001

17 Positive significant relationship with Estimated energy requirement Pearson Correlation = 0.455; P<0.001

18 Energy Intake relative to Requirement Increasing EI:EER n Dietary CO2 gco2 eq Energy Intake (kcal) Estimated Energy Requirement BMI Low = High = Total Population

19 Food Intake (grams per day) across increasing category of consumption Food Group Low = High = 4 Total P Value Starchy Foods Dairy Fruit Red Meat Savouries Sugar/Conf ectionery Fats Oils Non significant food groups: fish, alcohol, carbonated beverages, vegetables, processed meat, eggs, poultry, pork, legumes, nuts, seeds, beverages

20 Percentage contribution of food group to total CO2 emissions % Food Grp Low = High = 4 Total %CO2 _RedMeat %CO2_Dairy %CO2 Starch %CO2_EggsP oultrypork %CO2_Alcohol

21 DISCUSSION & IMPLICATIONS

22 Implications Recommendations to decrease overall food consumption to meet requirements will have both health and environmental benefits. Healthy eating habit and health as a food choice motivation are both score high in this group However, high BMI levels in the low EI:EER groups Cross sectional data Lower intake in Q1 associated with energy mis-reporting notoriously prevalent in those with a higher BMI Or is the lower intakes an attempt to address the higher BMI Weight control more important as a food choice motivation in Q1

23 Communication of sustainable guidelines : health, climate or both? Connecting motivations between healthiness and environmentally friendliness of foods can provide a combined set of product attributes. Health should remain the overarching principle in communication to consumers, which may have a greater potential to support behaviour change towards healthy and sustainable diets. Need to look at overall diet rather than individuals foods Alcohol and discretionary foods can contribute significantly towards higher dietary emissions. Total food intake has an impact on overall emissions. Red meat as a food group in isolation has a high climatic impact but can play a significant role in nutritionally and culturally sustainable dietary patterns Diary has pivotal a role in sustainable and healthy diets

24 Climate change and the food system The greatest potential to reduce dietary emissions is at the farm stage 88% of emissions 12% of emissions

25 Thank you for listening For further information This research was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine under the FIRM funding scheme