Post on 28-Mar-2015
transcript
the coming diet revolution
Dr Rosemary Stanton OAMnutritionist
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
the balanced diet
nutritionnutrition& health& health
environmentenvironmental al
sustainabilitysustainability
tastetaste‘food literacy’‘food literacy’
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
considerations
global warming is occurring
what we eat affects global warming
global warming will inevitably affect what we eat
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
environmental changes farms pushed from good growing areas family farms disappearing & farms devoted to
monoculture are increasing fertilisers & irrigation needed pollution of waterways dryland salinity increasing use of land for ethanol production climate change
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
greenhouse gases
changes in last 200 years carbon dioxide - up 30%
– responsible for 70% of global warming– burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas)– land clearing
www.greenhouse.gov.au/education/factsheets/what.html
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
greenhouse gases
changes in last 200 years methane - up 145%
– contributes 20% of global warming– increased numbers of cattle– rice cultivation (temperature, CO2)– escape of natural gas– decomposing waste in landfill
www.greenhouse.gov.au/education/factsheets/what.html
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
greenhouse gases
changes in last 200 years nitrous oxide - up 15%
– burning vegetation– emissions from industry– nitrogenous fertilisers
www.greenhouse.gov.au/education/factsheets/what.html
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
fuel or food?ethanol-based fuels - a help?
11 acres ethanol for 1 car for 1 year
11 acres food for 7 people for 1 year
corn used for ethanol in the US in 2004 could have fed 100 million people
30-70%* more energy is needed to produce ethanol than it contributes
source: Professor David Pimental, Cornell University
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
factors related to food
fertilisers & pesticides
irrigation & water use
increased consumption of animal products & intensive rearing of animals
harvesting & increased storage of crops
processing & packaging
transport & widespread distribution of food
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food factors
food industry driven by profits
uneven distribution (eg compare price paid to coffee growers with café prices)
environmental costs not factored in to product pricing
environmental costs borne by the community, with disproportionate costs to the poor
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion
overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food exports
Australia exports 80% of grains/sugar/oilseeds 75% of seafood 70% of mutton (+ 38% of lamb) 65% of beef 50% of milk production
source: dfat.gov.au
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food exports
exports important ($24 billion/year) but we have ignored environmental factors, including – water
– dryland salinity (land clearing)
– use of pesticides, fertilisers
– overworked land
– reduced mineral content of soils
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
fish productionCSIRO predicts 35% decline overall(64% in Tasmania) due to changes in temperature ocean currents & winds nutrient supply rain ocean acidity extreme weather
Gina Newton, Australian Marine Sciences Association, www.frdc.com.au
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overproduction - action more relevant in some areas
government help/intervention essential
action most likely to occur with the water crisis on the mainland
GM crops that can tolerate salinity??
more controls on pesticides
mixed farming to avoid monocultures
more research on soil minerals
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
GM foods will they hinder or help?
? sales tactics of GM companies
not likely to feed the poor
possibility of destroying eco systems
fail to address causes of climate change
fail to tackle depletion of water & soil nutrients
creating problems for beneficial insects
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion
overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overconsumption
excess weight in Australia occurs in 67% of men 52% of women 20-25% of children
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overconsumptionobesity increases the risks of type 2 diabetes high blood pressure coronary heart disease strokes cancers, especially bowel, breast,
endometrium, kidney, oesophagus gallstones
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overconsumptionobesity also increases the risks of surgery makes arthritis worse worsens back and knee problems is sometimes involved in
depression
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overconsumption
environmental effects
increased purchases = increased waste
40-50% landfill waste is food and garden waste (8.4 million tonnes/yr)
each kilogram of food waste in landfill contributes 1kg of greenhouse gases
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
overconsumption - action greater publicity about problems of excess
consumption (health & environmental)
increased price for some foods (likely as resources/transport costs increase or via taxation based on energy ‘rating’ of foods)
collection system with emphasis on education + subsidies for composting or worm farms (both domestic & industrial)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
packaging
Australia produces 3.3 million tonnes of packaging materials/year
~ 65% packaging for food/beverages useful because it improves shelf life
and reduces food waste a problem because it uses energy
resources to produce and more when it is discarded and adds to landfill
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
packaging
throughout the world, 400 billion plastic water bottles added to landfill each year
packaging makes up 72% of litter in Australia (and includes 25 million plastic bags discarded as litter/year)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
packaging
recycling possible & improving kerbside recycling collects 20% of
packaging problem: 50% food & non-alcoholic
beverages consumed away from home
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
packaging
industry & retailers should be responsible for waste collection
when Ireland added 26c levy, plastic bag usage fell by 90%
container deposits in SA achieve 85% return rate
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
packaging - action
choose foods with less packaging
re-use packaging
recycle (bins more widely available)
push governments to set mandatory rules for container deposits
recycling costs should be included in product price
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
seasonal eating
seasonal foods link us to production & increase ‘food literacy’
ignored in favour of ‘choice’
choice increases consumption - as more ‘variety’ is offered, we consume more
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
has choice gone mad?
average Australian supermarket stocks 30,000 foods
do we ‘need’ or even want all this?
do we ‘need’ 1800 snack foods?
do we ‘need’ Californian oranges in summer when Valencias are in season?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
drivers of food choices
the food supply was once driven by what was in season
cultural influences also played a role in the daily diet
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
new drivers
convenience profit what large retailers want to sell health & science advertising & marketing
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
functional foodsnew ‘super’ foods
– attempt to ‘rescue’ the diet
– some may be useful; others designed for ‘disease shopping’
– highly priced
– divert attention from real dietary problems
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
functional foodsoften a techno-fix aiming to
produce something as good as fruit & vegetables
but we already have fruit & vegetables!
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food miles
distance food travels from paddock to plate– how far food has travelled
– mode of transport (heavy vehicles, air, sea, packaging)
– sustainability associated with the food’s production
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food miles
consider sustainability– Australian animals graze year round &
rarely need winter housing
– New Zealand uses less pesticide than most countries, so may be preferable
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food miles
water also a vital issue– should Australia import rice and cotton
rather than deplete the Murray/Darling river system?
– to produce 1 kg coffee requires 20,000L water, so grow it in tropical areas and provide an income for growers
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food miles
not always simple
can’t divorce food miles from global considerations
equity issues important (eg coffee growers need fair price)
importing some products may not be sustainable
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
food miles - action
check the origin of foods
consider seasonality (education needed for parents, in schools, farmers, retailers, food & recipe writers, journalists)
reject foods out of season
develop school kitchen gardens
promote home/community gardens
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
go down the food chain?
world health authorities recommend
we bias our diets towards
plant foods
and less processed foods
for health & sustainability
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
go down the food chain?
as populations become more affluent,
they eat more animal products,
more processed foods
and fewer plant foods
and develop obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
cancers of the bowel and breast
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
effects of the affluent diet
more meat, more processed foods
production of animal foods takes large amounts of land and water
processing foods uses more energy & may deliver an imbalance of nutrients
low kilojoule and functional foods can be especially problematic
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
effects of the affluent diet
more meat, more processed foods
production of animal foods takes large amounts of land and water
processing foods uses more energy & may deliver an imbalance of nutrients
low kilojoule and functional foods can be especially problematic
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
litres of water for 1 kg food
potatoes 500wheat 900maize 1,400rice 1,910soy 2,000chickens 3,500beef, broad acre* 50,000beef (lot-fed) 100,000Source: Pimmental D, Houser J, Preiss E. 1997 Bioscience 47: 97-106* CSIRO quoted in AFGC Environment Report 2003
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
wise use of landcrop gross energy output number
fed(MJ)/hectare /
hectarecabbage 105,000 23 potatoes 102,000 22rice 88,000 19corn 76,000 17wheat 70,000 15
pork 14,000 3rabbit 13,000 3milk 9,000 2lamb 7,000 2chicken, corn-fed 7,000 2beef 5,000 1
source:Spedding CRW 1990 in Lewis b, Assmann G (eds) Social & Economic contexts of coronary prevention, London: Current Medical Literature
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
animal production - feedlots
20-50 kg of feed produces 1 kg meat 40% of world grain fed to animals land cleared to grow grain, then grain
transported to feedlots more waste (450kg steer produces
29kg wet waste/day) more methane - 2.5 x if animals fed a
rich diet (CSIRO aiming to change cattle microbes & reduce methane by 16%)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
animal production - feedlots
beef cattle in feedlots give hormone growth promotants (HGPs)
HGPs used in 45% of beef cattle in Australia
are HGPs harmful?
HGPs banned in EU (and Tasmania)
quality of life for feedlot cattle?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
animal production - action
reduce meat consumption
favour kangaroo (no methane)
favour chickens (free range?)
reject feedlot beef
keep chickens at home (eat scraps, provide eggs on site)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
effects of the affluent diet
more meat, more processed foods
production of animal foods takes lots of land and water
processed foods use more energy & deliver an imbalance of nutrients
low kilojoule and functional foods can be especially problematic
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
processed foods
we need to considerthe ratio of the energy content of a food (kilojoules) - to the energy inputs (in production, processing, packaging and distribution)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
value for energy use?
processed foods, functional foods
aim is to maximise profit
use as little ‘real food’ as possible
production of additives uses large amounts of energy
functional foods only for wealthy
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
kilojoules to process 1 kg food
flour 2,100canned fruit/vegetables 2,500bottled water 3,000ice cream 3,800soft drink 5,900low kilojoule soft drink 25,000chocolate 77,700instant coffee 79,000
sources: University of Wisconsin Centre for Integrated Agricultural Studies 1999; Heller, MC, Keoleian GA, "Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System", Ann Arbor, MI: Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan, 2000.
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
tomato sauce - Sweden
more than 52 transport & processing stages
– tomatoes grown & made into paste (Italy)
– processing & packaging into sauce (Sweden)
– retail and storage of the final product
Andersson, K. Ohlsson, P and Olsson, P. Life Cycle Assessment of Tomato Ketchup. The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, Gothenburg. Journal of Cleaner Production 6 (1998) 277–288
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
tomato sauce
aseptic bags to package tomato paste made in the Netherlands, sent to Italy, placed in steel barrels, sent to Sweden
five layered, red bottles made in the UK or Sweden with materials from Japan, Italy, Belgium, the USA and Denmark
polypropylene screw-cap of the bottle and plug made in Denmark and transported to Sweden
distributed with shrink-film & corrugated cardboard
(labels, glue and ink not included in the analysis)
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
bottled water
problem worldwide 154 billion litres/year consumed in 2004
(57% over 5 years)
most consumed in countries with a safe water supply
creates greenhouse gases to make bottles, transport water + storage, refrigeration, collection and disposal of waste
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
bottled water
problem in Australia 550 million litres/year consumed (2004-5)
no drop in soft drink sales
cost is 10,000 times tap water
tap water is high quality
waste of energy resources
65% of water bottles not recycled, 38% of litter
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
processed food - action
refill water bottles from tap or tank
use fewer processed products
select products with less processing (eg rolled oats not flakes)
cook real foods from scratch
teach everyone to cook so it is not left to women
grow your own
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
for discussion overproduction - is it sustainable? overconsumption of food = waste packaging is an issue return to seasonal eating food ‘miles’ should we go down the food chain? should we go organic?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
organic foods
benefits
raises environmental consciousness
decreases environmental problems (pesticides, artificial fertilisers)
decreases energy use
decreases greenhouse gases
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
organic foods
problems
expensive
no advantages for imported luxury organic foods
can overuse organic fertilisers
need safe fertilisers
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
organic foods - action
check labels
use locally grown organic foods where possible & affordable
home organic growing
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
discussion overproduction overconsumption of food packaging seasonal eating food ‘miles’ go down the food chain go organic
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
what can we do now? overproduction - ? overconsumption of food packaging seasonal eating food ‘miles’ ? go down the food chain go organic ?
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
what we eat
social equityhealth
protection of land & water
© Rosemary Stanton 2007
the balanced diet
nutritionnutrition& health& health
environmentenvironmental al
sustainabilitysustainability
tastetaste‘food literacy’‘food literacy’