Environmental burden of excessive food intake: Exploring new opportunities to enhance food and environmental sustainability in China

Shi, Z., Zhang, L., Xiong, X., Hao, Y., Zhang, P., Pang, M., & Yang, Y. (2024). Environmental burden of excessive food intake: Exploring new opportunities to enhance food and environmental sustainability in China. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 209 e107820. 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107820.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

China faces increasing challenges in producing sufficient food sustainably while confronting a worsening overweight and obesity crisis caused partly by overeating. Building on the China Health and Nutrition Survey data, this study estimated the agricultural and environmental implications of overeating based on human metabolic theory and life cycle assessment. The results show that the average excess food intake per person is twice the amount of household edible food waste (53.85 vs. 26.88 g/capita/day). The total excessive food intake is equivalent to 18.7 Mt of annual cereal production, approximately 4.3 times China's recent annual cereal production growth (4.4 Mt). Excessive food intake also embodies substantial carbon, water, energy, and ecological footprints, amounting to 39.15 Mt CO2e, 31.40 Gm3, 11.18 Mtce, 544.69 × 108 gm2, respectively, significantly exceeding the corresponding domestic food waste footprints. Cereals and meats have a dominant role in excessive food intake and related environmental impacts, with significant differences linked to demographic characteristics and urbanization levels. China has implemented various national policies, including an anti-food-waste law, to address agri-food sustainability challenges. This study suggests that addressing overeating can significantly enhance China's ability to tackle these challenges and improve public health outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Research Programs:	Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) > Integrated Biosphere Futures (IBF) Economic Frontiers (EF) Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP)
Depositing User:	Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited:	09 Oct 2024 10:50
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2024 10:50
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/20028

Actions (login required)

View Item