Volume 199 - Issue 7
Australia’s dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate”
Authors: Manny Noakes, Bradley G Ridoutt, Gilly Hendrie and Brian A Keating
Med J Aust 2013; 199 (7): 456. || doi: 10.5694/mja13.10193
Published online: 7 October 2013
Published online: 7 October 2013
To the Editor: We agree with Selvey and Carey1 that minimising the environmental impact of the food supply chain is vital. However, we disagree with recommendations
that target some food categories. Variation in environmental footprint within a food category can be more important than the variation between categories.2
Research on environmental modelling systems needs to address complex trade-offs between factors such as carbon emissions, water, land ...
To the Editor: We agree with Selvey and Carey1 that minimising the environmental impact of the food supply chain is vital. However, we disagree with recommendations that target some food categories. Variation in environmental footprint within a food category can be more important than the variation between categories.2
Research on environmental modelling systems needs to address complex trade-offs between factors such as carbon emissions, water, land use and biodiversity. Without this, we risk unintended adverse outcomes in other areas of environmental protection.3
Therefore, we recommend the following strategies, where there is greater certainty of benefit.
Reducing overconsumption of nutrient-poor foods: In Australian adults, 36% of kilojoules consumed are from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods,4 which are predominantly of plant origin. Total food and kilojoule consumption correlates most strongly with environmental impact.5 Reducing consumption of these foods should be central to recommendations to benefit both health and the environment.
Consuming adequate nutrient-rich foods: The nutritional value of foods needs attention in the environmental debate. Blanket recommendations to limit animal-based food products and increase plant-based foods are inconsistent with dietary changes required to achieve adequate nutrition.
Reducing food waste: Australia wastes more than $5.2 billion of food each year.6 The World Resources Institute suggests that a 50% reduction in losses and wastage in the production and consumption chain is a necessary and achievable goal.7
The draft appendix to the Australian dietary guidelines makes an important attempt to focus on these actions.
Competing interests
Manny Noakes has undertaken research funded by Meat and Livestock Australia, the Australian Egg Corporation and the Dairy Health and Nutrition Consortium, and research on the metabolic and environmental impact of dietary patterns high in protein; she is a coauthor of the CSIRO total wellbeing diet. Bradley Riddout has undertaken research for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and Meat and Livestock Australia.
References
- Selvey LA, Carey MG. Australia’s dietary guidelines and the environmental impact of food “from paddock to plate”. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 18-19. 0_CHDEEIDE
- Ridoutt BG, Sanguansri P, Freer M, Harper GS. Water footprint of livestock: comparison of six geographically defined beef production systems. Int J Life Cycle Assess 2012; 17: 165-175. 0_i1142880
- Finkbeiner M. Carbon footprinting — opportunities and threats. Int J Life Cycle Assess 2009; 14: 91-94. 0_i1142882
- Rangan AM, Schindeler S, Hector DJ, et al. Consumption of ‘extra’ foods by Australian adults: types, quantities and contribution to energy and nutrient intakes. Eur J Clin Nutr 2009 ; 63: 865-871. 0_i1142884
- Vieux F, Darmon N, Touazi D, Soler LG. Greenhouse gas emissions of self-selected individual diets in France: changing the diet structure or consuming less? Ecol Econ 2012; 75: 91-101. 0_i1142888
- Baker D, Fear J, Denniss R. What a waste: an analysis of household expenditure on food. Canberra: The Australia Institute, 2009. 0_CBBHCJGD
- Lipinski B, Hanson C, Lomax J, et al. Reducing food loss and waste: installment 2 of “Creating a Sustainable Food Future”. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 2013. 0_pgfId-2866844