Trimming the excess: environmental impacts of discretionary food consumption in Australia
Trimming the excess: environmental impacts of discretionary food consumption in Australia
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DOI：
10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.08.006
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发表时间：
2017-01-01
影响因子：
7
通讯作者：
Hadjikakou, Michalis
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hadjikakou, Michalis
解决随意食物（不需要提供身体所需营养的食物和饮料）的过度消费是调整人类和地球健康的核心。虽然随意食品对健康的不利影响有充分的记录，但这些产品对环境和更广泛的可持续性的影响值得更多的关注，特别是因为近几十年来这些产品的消费量一直在增加，特别是在低收入群体中。本文提出了一个定量的案例研究分析的自由裁量的食物消费和相关的环境影响的家庭从不同收入群体在澳大利亚。从环境角度扩展的投入产出分析被用来根据家庭支出估计任意食品消费的整个生命周期的环境影响。平均而言，可自由支配的食物分别占与饮食相关的生命周期用水、能源使用、二氧化碳当量和土地使用的35%、39%、33%和35%。这些显著的百分比进一步支持了激励更健康和更可持续的饮食的必要性，包括从可自由支配的食品中“撤资”。这项研究强调了未来的挑战，包括需要进一步研究食物替代品，以最大限度地减少环境和社会影响，同时最大限度地提高营养质量，特别是在较贫困的社会经济群体中。(C)© 2016 Elsevier B.V.版权所有。
Tackling the overconsumption of discretionary foods (foods and drinks not necessary to provide the nutrients the body needs) is central to aligning human and planetary health. Whilst the adverse health impacts of discretionary foods are well documented, the environmental and broader sustainability impacts of these products deserve more attention, especially since their consumption has been increasing in recent decades, particularly amongst low income groups. This paper presents a quantitative case study analysis of discretionary food consumption and the associated environmental impacts for households from different income groups in Australia. Environmentally extended input-output analysis is used to estimate the full life cycle environmental impacts of discretionary food consumption on the basis of household expenditures. On average, discretionary foods account for a significant 35%, 39%, 33% and 35% of the overall diet-related life cycle water use, energy use, carbon dioxide equivalent and land use respectively. These significant percentages provide further support for the need to incentivise diets that are both healthier and more sustainable, including 'divestment' from discretionary food products. The study highlights the challenges ahead, including the need for further research on food substitutions to minimise environmental and social impacts whilst maximising nutritional quality-especially amongst poorer socioeconomic groups. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.