A Systematic Review of the Measurement of Sustainable Diets

Abstract

Sustainability has become an integral consideration of the dietary guidelines of many countries in recent decades. However, a lack of clear metrics and a shared approach to measuring the multiple components of sustainable diets has hindered progress toward generating the evidence needed to ensure the credibility of new guidelines. We performed a systematic literature review of empirical research studies on sustainable diets to identify the components of sustainability that were measured and the methods applied to do so. Two independent reviewers systematically searched 30 databases and other sources with the use of a uniform set of search terms and a priori exclusion criteria. In total, 113 empirical studies were included in the final review. Nearly all of the studies were focused on high-income countries. Although there was substantial heterogeneity in the components of sustainability measured, the estimated greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) of various dietary patterns were by far most commonly measured (n = 71 studies). Estimating the GHGEs of foods through various stages of production, use, and recycling with the use of the Life Cycle Assessment approach was the most common method applied to measure the environmental impacts of diets (n = 49 studies). Many components of sustainable diets identified in existing conceptual frameworks are disproportionately underrepresented in the empirical literature, as are studies that examine consumer demand for sustainable dietary alternatives. The emphasis in the literature on high-income countries also overlooks the production and dietary alternatives most relevant to low- and middle-income countries. We propose 3 methodological and measurement approaches that would both improve the global relevance of our understanding of sustainable diets and attend more completely to the existing multidimensional, multiscale conceptual framing of sustainable diets.

The water use of Indian diets and socio-demographic factors related to dietary blue water footprint

“…To ensure sustainable and healthy food systems, a combination of consumption- and production-side changes will be required (FAO, 2010, Smith et al, 2008). Many studies assessing environmental impacts of diets have focused on greenhouse gas emissions, largely in high income settings (Berners-Lee et al, 2012, Jones et al, 2016, Macdiarmid et al, 2012, Pathak et al, 2010). However, much less evidence is available on the water use associated with the production of diets which remains a major sustainability issue as agriculture accounts for ~ 70% of global water withdrawals (FAO, 2016).…”

Food System Sustainability across Scales: A Proposed Local-To-Global Approach to Community Planning and Assessment

“…Moving from broad visionary concepts to more specific constructs, Johnson [9] and Jones [11] identify more operational constructs important to sustainable diets useful to our research, categorized into social, health, ecological, as well as the global political, economic, and ecological context (see Jones et al for a detailed list). Eriksen [18] and Ingram [19] provide further operational clarity through describing food systems as a set of activities (such as food production, provision, governance, etc.)…”

“…In response, significant strides have been made in conceptualizing and defining sustainable food systems and identifying specific drivers that lead toward and/or away from full system sustainability [9][10][11][12]. Efforts have also been made in designing comprehensive indices that could measure our collective progress toward sustainable food systems [13].…”

Assessing the inclusion of seafood in the sustainable diet literature

“…Consideration of environmental impacts in food and nutrition policy is important (FAO, 2010a;Joseph & Clancy, 2015, Pray, 2014 Research on "sustainable diets" and how modifying consumption patterns can mitigate environmental impacts at both the individual and food system levels has increased dramatically in the past decade (Auestad & Fulgoni, 2015;Heller et al, 2013;Jones et al, 2016;Merrigan et al, 2015;Tilman & Clark, 2014). The FAO defines sustainable diets as those with "low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations.…”

“…The FAO defines sustainable diets as those with "low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. A sustainable diet consists of several interconnecting components, which have been outlined through a number of conceptual frameworks (FAO, 2010b, Johnston, Fanzo, & Cogill, 2014Jones et al, 2016). A sustainable diet consists of several interconnecting components, which have been outlined through a number of conceptual frameworks (FAO, 2010b, Johnston, Fanzo, & Cogill, 2014Jones et al, 2016).…”