Tel-Hai Magazine 2023-2024

Healthy and sustainable: measuring the environmental impact of what we eat

ine and analyze their real food intake, instead of viewing diets as strict catego ries, like vegetarian or omnivore, we should recognize that there is a spectrum of eating habits. This approach allows for a better understanding of how indi vidual food choices affect health and nu trition. For this purpose, the Sustainable and Healthy Diet Index (SHED index) was developed and validated in a previous study by Dr. Tepper, 2020, against both the MED and EAT-Lancet reference di ets, which are both considered healthy and sustainable dietary regimens. The SHED index uses a 30-item question naire to assess healthy and sustainable individual diets. The score reflects the nutritional, environmental, and sociocul tural aspects of sustainable diets. Exploring the eating habits and dietary patterns of the Israeli population This current study joins the emerging direction of research in analyzing actual consumption patterns and exploring the gap between recommended diets and practiced ones, as well as the implications for the environmental impact of the con sumption of such diets. The study ex plores the differences in the environmen tal footprint on land, water and GHGs of different consumed diets based on the local Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) ap proach, including unique aspects of the food system in Israel. Estimates of the environmental footprints were calculated

population of 10 billion people within planetary boundaries. Their conclusion was that this will only be possible by transforming eating habits, improving food production and reducing food waste. The EAT-Lancet Commission’s report, “Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems” has defined a reference “planetary health diet” based on both sustainability and health. This dietary pattern outlines a combination of food groups and ranges of food intake that could optimize human health, while sustaining the environment. Another example of sustainable di etary patterns is the Mediterranean Diet (MED), which is well known for its health benefits and has also been identified for its environmental benefits. The diet is characterized by a high intake of plant based foods; moderate to high intake of fish; moderate to low consumption of poultry, meat, and dairy; high intake of monounsaturated fatty acid (mainly from olive oil); and a moderate amount of wine (1–2 portions per day). As dietary patterns are shaped by com bined social and environmental factors, there is a need to examine not only rec ommended dietary patterns, but also those that are actually practiced, which is critical for advancing healthy and sus tainable diets. Dietary patterns, such as vegetarian or vegan diets, offer a theoret ical framework for understanding food consumption and making recommenda tions. However, to assess the impact of what people eat, it is important to exam

Food production and consumption have extensive social and human health impli cations, given their direct and indirect pressure on domestic and global environ mental systems, and their contribution to the wellbeing of individuals and societ ies. A sustainable food system ensures food security and healthy nutrition for all, while safeguarding present and future economic, social, and environmental im plications. Nevertheless, providing a growing global population with healthy and sustainable diets is an immediate challenge. To grapple with this challenge, many initiatives have been established to produce dietary recommendations and regimens. One of the most important of these, is the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet and Health, which brought together 37 leading scientists from across the globe to seek ways of providing a healthy diet that will feed a future Dr. Sigal Tepper Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences

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