TY - JOUR
T1 - Dietary Choices Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
T2 - Determinants and Correlates in a Sample of Adults from Eastern Germany
AU - Koelman, Liselot
AU - Huybrechts, Inge
AU - Biesbroek, Sander
AU - van ‘t Veer, Pieter
AU - Schulze, Matthias B.
AU - Aleksandrova, Krasimira
PY - 2022/3/24
Y1 - 2022/3/24
N2 - The present study estimated diet-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and land use (LU) in a sample of adults, examined main dietary contributors of GHGE, and evaluated socio demographic, lifestyle, and wellbeing factors as potential determinants of high environmental impact. A cross-sectional design based on data collected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)—Potsdam cohort (2010–2012) was used. Usual diet was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. Diet-related GHGE and LU were calculated using a European-average lifecycle analyses-food-item database (SHARP-ID). Information on potential determinants were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Men (n = 404) and women (n = 401) at an average age of 66.0 ± 8.4 years were included. Dietary-related energy-adjusted GHGE in men was 6.6 ± 0.9 and in women was 7.0 ± 1.1 kg CO2 eq per 2000 kcal. LU in men was 7.8 ± 1.2 and in women was 7.7 ± 1.2 m2/year per 2000 kcal. Food groups contributing to most GHGE included dairy, meat and non-alcoholic beverages. Among women, being single, having a job, being a smoker and having higher BMI were characteristics associated with higher GHGE, whereas for men these included being married, longer sleeping duration and higher BMI. Further studies are warranted to provide insights into population-specific determinants of sustainable dietary choices.
AB - The present study estimated diet-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and land use (LU) in a sample of adults, examined main dietary contributors of GHGE, and evaluated socio demographic, lifestyle, and wellbeing factors as potential determinants of high environmental impact. A cross-sectional design based on data collected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)—Potsdam cohort (2010–2012) was used. Usual diet was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. Diet-related GHGE and LU were calculated using a European-average lifecycle analyses-food-item database (SHARP-ID). Information on potential determinants were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Men (n = 404) and women (n = 401) at an average age of 66.0 ± 8.4 years were included. Dietary-related energy-adjusted GHGE in men was 6.6 ± 0.9 and in women was 7.0 ± 1.1 kg CO2 eq per 2000 kcal. LU in men was 7.8 ± 1.2 and in women was 7.7 ± 1.2 m2/year per 2000 kcal. Food groups contributing to most GHGE included dairy, meat and non-alcoholic beverages. Among women, being single, having a job, being a smoker and having higher BMI were characteristics associated with higher GHGE, whereas for men these included being married, longer sleeping duration and higher BMI. Further studies are warranted to provide insights into population-specific determinants of sustainable dietary choices.
KW - determinants
KW - dietary choices
KW - environmental impact
KW - greenhouse gas emissions
KW - land use
U2 - 10.3390/su14073854
DO - 10.3390/su14073854
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85127701303
SN - 2071-1050
VL - 14
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
IS - 7
M1 - 3854
ER -
