Reports – Sustainability

Center for Ecoliteracy

The Center for Ecoliteracy in California, USA, advances the teaching and modeling of sustainable practices in K–12 schools. We build partnerships and the capacity of K–12 schools to support healthy, sustainable school communities and food systems change in schools. The Center for Ecoliteracy leads systems change initiatives, publishes original books and resources, facilitates conferences and professional development, and provides strategic consulting. We work at multiple levels of scale, with local, regional, state, and national programs.

Our California Food for California Kids® initiative builds the capacity of public school districts to provide students with fresh, locally-grown food and reinforce connections between the classroom, cafeteria, and garden. With a network of over 100 public school districts across the state, California Food for California Kids advances practical solutions that transform school food systems and how students learn about the food they eat.

In 2021, the Center for Ecoliteracy successfully advocated for California to become the first state to adopt universal school meals as a co-sponsor of the Free School Meals for All Act and a core member of the School Meals for All coalition. We are proud to be part of California’s leadership in transforming school food and recognizing the important role of school nutrition professionals.

AUDA NEPAD Guidelines for the Design and Implementation of Home-Grown School Feeding Programmes in Africa (2022)

The Guidelines for the Design and Implementation of African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) Home Grown School Feeding Programmes in Africa is the result of a collaborative effort supported by the African Union Commission for Education, Science, Technology and Innovations (AUC-ESTI) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Home Grown School Feeding has been recognized by African leaders for its contribution to human resources and capital development in the continent and for having an important role in inclusive development, health, rural development, gender equality and inclusive education, particularly for the poor and socially marginalised communities.

These HGSF guidelines are meant to provide general direction or guidance to African Union Member States who wish to establish HGSF programmes or review existing school feeding programmes to link them more directly with smallholder farmers and other role players in the school food value chain, while addressing the nutrition component more adequately.

The five school feeding quality standards form the organizational structure of these guidelines, namely,
i) policy and legal framework,
ii) financial capacity and stable funding,
iii) institutional capacity for implementation and coordination,
iv) design and implementation,
v) and community participation.

The mandate of AUDA-NEPAD is to:
a) Coordinate and Execute priority regional and continental projects to promote regional integration towards the accelerated realisation of Agenda 2063; and
b) Strengthen capacity of African Union Member States and regional bodies, advance knowledge-based advisory support, undertake the full range of resource mobilisation and serve as the continent’s technical interface with all Africa’s development stakeholders and development partners.

AUDA NEPAD Home Grown School Feeding Handbook (2020)

This African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) Handbook was prepared primarily based on the experience and lessons from Botswana, Ghana and Nigeria.

These three countries are among the most advanced countries in implementing HGSF which are supported and led by their national government.

The handbook is one of the tools to share an example of a multi-tiered approach to country level interventions for effective delivery on nutrition and food systems.

Austrian Dietary Guidelines (2024)

The 2024 Austrian Dietary guidelines were developed by the Competence Center for Climate and Health of Austria GmbH (GÖG) together with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) and the Austrian Society for Nutrition (ÖGE). Both health and climate aspects were taken into account.

Visit the link to also download the brochure “Healthy eating, good for the climate” (in German) or it can be accessed or ordered via the brochure service of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The brochure contains healthy and climate-friendly recipes based on the plate model. It was developed by three universities of applied sciences for dietology on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

Playbook for Guiding Diners Toward Plant-Rich Dishes in Food Service (2020)

World Resources Institute (2020). Playbook for Guiding Diners Toward Plant-Rich Dishes in Food Service.

To help food service companies support diners in choosing more plant-rich meals, this playbook from WRI’s Better Buying Lab outlines the top 23 ‘behavior change’ strategies drawing on cutting-edge academic research into how people choose food, as well as insights from experts in the food service industry about what works and what doesn’t.

Producing beef emits 20 times more greenhouse gases than common plant-based proteins, which is why shifting diets toward containing less beef, and more plants, is an important climate action.

The playbook is designed to be used by anyone working in the food service sector wishing to make changes within their operations to encourage diners to choose more sustainable, plant-rich options — including chefs, food servers, managers, sales people, marketing and communications professionals, food operators, distributors, researchers, nutritionists, dietitians, and procurement teams.

Call for sustainable food systems including (medical) nutrition for hospitalised children and their families (2024)

Verbruggen SCAT, Cochius den Otter S, Bakker J, et al. Call for sustainable food systems including (medical) nutrition for hospitalised children and their families. Frontline Gastroenterology Published Online First: 20 March 2024. doi: 10.1136/flgastro-2023-102478 (open access)

Key messages
- The climate emergency is a pressing global issue that poses significant threats to human health and the environment.
- A call to collective action from industry, legislators, and non-governmental organisations to develop standardised processes to reduce the amount of plastic in medical nutrition and associated waste.
- To develop scalable circular economy for medical nutrition there needs to be standardisation of process and methodology, as a current lack of transparency and large-scale action hinders progress towards effecting change.
- Research is required around behaviour change models to support the transition from animal-based to plant-based diets, including medical nutrition, for hospital patients, visitors, and staff.
- Collective action is required for all of us, although small acts can save our planet – we need large scale action.
- How can you get involved in advocating for your hospital to reduce the amount of medical nutrition waste?

Abstract
- The climate emergency presents a profound threat to global health, adversely affecting the health and well-being of children who are projected to bear a substantial disease burden, as well as impacting children’s right to food, water, healthcare and education. The healthcare sector strives to prioritise preventative healthcare policies improving the health of individuals across the life course. However, current healthcare practices significantly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste generation, in which (medical) nutrition plays an important role.
- Plant-based proteins offer sustainability benefits, and potential health advantages, and have a lower climate footprint, although there may also be unintended consequences of land-use change and deforestation for certain crops. However, to develop suitable plant-based alternatives to medical nutrition, it will be necessary to address regulatory obstacles as well as ensure nutritional profiles are suitable, particularly protein (amino acid) and micronutrient composition. Additionally, the development of heat-tolerant and water-efficient plant genotypes could bolster adaptation to changing climatic conditions.
- Effective waste management, including wasted food and medical nutrition, emerges as a key strategy in mitigating the climate impact of medical nutrition. While research on food waste in healthcare settings is limited, minimising waste spillage in medical nutrition is a crucial area to explore. Healthcare professionals must acknowledge their roles in curbing the climate footprint of medical nutrition as well as recommendations for food-based approaches.
- This review aims to investigate the sustainability of medical nutrition for paediatric care, focusing on factors contributing to GHG emissions, plant-based alternatives, waste management and plastic packaging. Such an exploration is vital for healthcare professionals to fulfil their responsibilities in addressing the climate crisis while advocating for change.

https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2023-102478

A pathway to personal, population and planetary health for dietitians and nutrition professionals (2023 Nov)

MacKenzie-Shalders, K. L., Barbour, L., Charlton, K., Cox, G. R., Lawrence, M., Murray, S., Newberry, K., Senior, N. M., Stanton, R., & Tagtow, A. M. (2023). A pathway to personal, population and planetary health for dietitians and nutrition professionals. Public Health Nutrition, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.137

Abstract

Background

Earth and all its inhabitants are threatened by a planetary crisis; including climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss and pollution. Dietitians and nutrition professionals have a responsibility to lead transformational change in contemporary food and health systems to help mitigate this crisis. The study aims to develop a conceptual framework to support dietitians towards personal, population and planetary health.

Methods

Non-empirical methods were used by the co-researchers to explore and explain the application of an international framework ‘Next-Generation Solutions to Address Adaptive Challenges in Dietetics Practice: The I + PSE Conceptual Framework for Action’. (I+PSE = Individual plus Policy, System, and Environmental)

Results

A non-sequential pathway guide to personal, population and planetary health for nutrition professionals was developed including several key guiding principles of Agency, Action, Ascension, Alignment, Alliance and Allyship, and Advocacy and Activism. Each guiding principle features descriptors and descriptions to enhance dietitian and nutrition professional

Agency (i.e. vision, self-belief, confidence, strength and responsibility),
Action (i.e. start, shift, translate, achieve and commit),
Ascension (i.e. build, overcome, manage, challenge and progress),
Alignment (i.e. leadership, transparency, diplomacy, values and systems),
Alliance and Allyship (i.e. support, collaborate, represent, community and citizenship) and
Advocacy and Activism (i.e. disrupt, co-design, transform, empower and urgency).

The framework and its descriptors support enhanced understanding and are modifiable and flexible in their application to guide the participation of dietitians and nutrition professionals in transformational change in personal, population and planetary health. This guide acknowledges that First Nations knowledge and customs are important to current and future work within this field.

Conclusions

Alongside the international body of work progressing in this field, this framework and visual guide will support dietitians and nutrition professionals to achieve urgent, transformational change in personal, population and planetary health.

Sustainability Practices in School Feeding Programs (2023 Sep)

2023.09 Sustainability_School_Feeding_Programs_2023 Download PDF

This paper provides an overview of research on environmental considerations in school feeding programmes and a synopsis of evaluations of two school feeding programs (U.S. National School Lunch Program and Portugal) with emphasis on their environmental impacts.

The paper concludes that estimates of the environmental impacts of school feeding programs are needed to design menus and make policy recommendations, which, in turn, can reduce their environmental impacts and help students develop food preferences aligned with sustainable dietary patterns. Studies can be performed to better inform implementation of different components of new standards.

The following were strategies found to assist:
💰 Financial incentives, including local food procurement, could encourage school districts to offer beef less frequently, and provide plant-based meals on school menus.
📝 School-based curriculum that emphasizes food literacy (e.g., cooking, gardening) and marketing campaigns could ensure that menu changes are well-received by students.
🫛 Sourcing plant-based school meals seasonally and locally that use eco-friendly production practices such as organic food production and agroecology can provide environmental, economic, and social
sustainability benefits.
🧑‍🍳 Finally, introducing plant-based school meals gradually, giving careful consideration of the seasoning, naming, and aesthetics of plant-based meals, and training kitchen staff in the preparation of plant-based meals are all strategies that can be used to overcome potential implementation barriers.

This article appeared in a member-only newsletter of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is shared with permission. The author, Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RDN, is a food and nutrition consultant based in Bogotá, Colombia. She has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University with minors in Program Evaluation and Public Policy. Her research and work experience lie in food security and sustainable food systems. Dr. McCullum-Gomez is a Column Editor and serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. She is also Chair-Elect of the Global Member Interest Group (GMIG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

JHND Special Issue: Sustainable Food Systems and Dietary Patterns in Nutrition and Dietetic Practice (2023 Dec)

The British Dietetic Association’s Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (JHND) published a Special Issue on Sustainable Food Systems and Dietary Patterns in Nutrition and Dietetic Practice edited by: Liesel Carlsson, Angela Madden, and Kalliopi-Anna Poulia (Volume 36, Issue 6, Pages: 2121-2350, December 2023).

Twelve of the sixteen articles are open access and cover a wide range of practice settings.

Open Access – Conceptualising sustainability in Canadian dietetic practice: A scoping review – Dietitians are well-positioned to promote sustainable food systems and diets. This research identifies practice activities described in the Canadian published literature and compares these with dietetic competency standards. Increasing practitioners’ ability to analyse issues using systems thinking will help address complex challenges. Updates to competency standards and curricular supports are needed to support this area of practice.

Open Access – Meat versus meat alternatives: which is better for the environment and health? A nutritional and environmental analysis of animal-based products compared with their plant-based alternatives – Plant-based meat products were analysed to understand which are more healthy, environmentally friendly and affordable. Plant-based products were found to contain less saturated fat, protein and calories; more fibre and sugar; and similar salt content. They were more expensive but had less emissions. Plant-based and meat products were classed as ultra-processed.

Environmental imprints of agricultural and livestock produce: A scoping review from South Asian countries – Diversification in food production and cultivating additional coarse cereals (millets) offer opportunities for green house gas (GHG) reduction in South Asian countries.

Dietary patterns in North and South India: a comparison with EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations – Very few studies have compared Indian diets with the EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations. The present study performed such a comparison using primary dietary consumption data, finding that Indian diets were mainly plant-based, being high in dairy but lacking in nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits.

Determinants of dietary diversity and drivers of food choice among low-income consumers in urban Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe – From the Nairobi responses, convenience (40% of respondents) was the main factor influencing food choice, whereas price was the most important factor in Bulawayo (31% of respondents) and Lilongwe (67% of respondents). Price and convenience are important factors to consider for improving diet diversity in urban low-income settlements.

Open Access – The association between food environment, diet quality and malnutrition in low- and middle-income adult populations across the rural—Urban gradient in Vietnam – Geospatial mapping of food outlets and the Diet Quality Index were used. Longer distances to food outlets were associated with higher diet quality, whereas lower outlet density increased the odds of underweight among women. Socio-economic factors consistently correlated with diet quality and malnutrition.

Open Access – Local food procurement by hospitals: a scoping review – There is a paucity of peer-reviewed studies describing local food procurement by hospitals. Details of local food procurement models were generally lacking: categorisable as either purchases made ‘on-contract’ via conventional means or ‘off-contract’. If hospital foodservices are to increase their local food procurement, they require access to a suitable, reliable and traceable supply, that acknowledges their complexity and budgetary constraints.

Open Access – Benefits, limitations and implementation issues for integrating organic foods into hospital foodservices: a systematic review – This review identified opportunities for the implementation of organic foods into hospital foodservices, but there are numerous barriers to be overcome through strategies including organisational support and staff training.

Open Access – What is the climate footprint of therapeutic diets for people with chronic kidney disease? Results from an Australian analysis – The climate footprint of the current Australian diet, the usual renal diet, a plant-based renal diet and the Australian-adapted Planetary Health Diet were analysed. No diets were climate neutral. A plant-based renal diet was superior to usual care. Animal and discretionary foods increase the climate footprint.

Open Access – Moving towards more sustainable diets: Is there potential for a personalised approach in practice? Personalised nutrition feedback can be used to encourage change to more sustainable diets. Personalisation uses individual factors (e.g., sex, age, dietary intake, etc.) and relevant criteria (e.g., environmental impact, nutritional adequacy, healthfulness, diet acceptability) to provide an individual with actionable feedback recommendations for dietary change.

Open Access – Commercial weight-loss diets, greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater consumption – Commercial weight-loss diets had GHGe footprints on average 4.4 times the EAT-Lancet target recommended for planetary health. Bovine meat was by far the largest contributor of GHGe in most diets that included it. Three commercial diets had water footprints above the US baseline.

Sustainable diets among youth: Validity and reliability of a questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, practices, and willingness to change – The study describes the validity and reliability of a questionnaire examining the perception of sustainable diets among youth in the United Arab Emirates. This tool is essential for the development of evidence-based interventions aiming to promote sustainable food consumption among young adults.

Open Access – Fix my food: An urgent call to action from adolescents on how they experience and want to see change in their food systems – Global food systems are failing adolescents. Workshops were conducted with 640 adolescents aged 10–19 years across 18 countries. Three key themes emerged, which included experiences of food, challenges to food systems and strengthening food systems. Adolescents called for inclusion in decision-making from local food practice to large global policy development.

Open Access – Nutrition quality and food and packaging waste associated with the school food system: A pilot, citizen science study in an Irish secondary school – This pilot study included adolescents as citizen scientists for a hands-on audit of waste and nutrition quality within their school food system. They were surprised and saddened to discover waste volume and contamination that prevented recycling or repurposing. Solutions proposed considered individual, community and organisational level factors.

Open Access – Collaborative leadership to support sustainability in practice for dietitians as allied health professionals – There is an urgent need for allied health professionals (AHP) to embrace the National Health Service Net Zero (Green) agenda. As advocates for environmentally sustainable diets and food systems, dietitians are well positioned to step into collaborative leadership roles as advocates for transformational change towards greener healthcare practices.

Open Access – The role of Australian civil society organisations in food system governance: Opportunities for collaboration in dietetics practice – A survey of 43 Australian civil society organisations (CSOs) identified their engagement with food system governance, including influencing policy outcomes, contributing to more inclusive and democratic forms of governance and leading community-based food system policies. Dietitians can engage with CSOs in education, research and advocacy roles for food system transformation.

Blue Foods as Medicine Curricula (2023 Oct)

Blue Foods as Medicine is a FREE, interactive, four-module online curriculum for health and nutrition professionals and students. The modules are 1: Blue Foods Foundation, 2: Sea Vegetables, 3: Bivalves, Clams, Oysters, Mussels; and 4: Integrating into Your Practice.

The modules are self-paced and evidence-based focused on actionable ways to implement concepts across a variety of settings. There are culturally diverse recipes & resources such as shopping guides, messaging tips, case studies, plus content and programming ideas.

The curriculum widens the food as medicine lens to include sustainability considerations and an array of aquatic foods. The content is open access and shareable, thoughtfully designed to advance your learning journey and drive positive community change.

Funded by Builders Initiative and created by Food for Climate League and Food + Planet.

For more on Blue Foods, see the #ICDAsfsToolkit Hot Topic Resource Cluster: Blue Foods.