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Promoting dietary guidelines and environmental sustainability in China

Author

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  • Lei, Lei
  • Shimokawa, Satoru

Abstract

Since 2015, the Chinese government has started actively promoting the Chinese Dietary Guidelines (CDGs), which target not only health but also sustainable food consumption and production. This paper first illustrates the deviations of Chinese people's diets from the CDGs; it then explores how reducing the deviations can influence environmental sustainability (i.e., greenhouse gas emission, energy use, and blue water footprint), and lastly, it investigates key driving factors behind the deviations. Our results demonstrate that the overall impact of reducing the deviations (i.e., reducing meat/egg consumption and increasing fruit/vegetable/dairy consumption) can improve both diet quality and environmental sustainability. The results also imply that reducing cereal and fruit prices may facilitate achievement of both the CDGs' targets and environmental sustainability by reducing meat consumption and increasing fruit consumption. If the recommendation of the CDGs is followed with additional environmental costs, it will be important to discuss how to minimize them.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei, Lei & Shimokawa, Satoru, 2020. "Promoting dietary guidelines and environmental sustainability in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:59:y:2020:i:c:s1043951x17301062
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2017.08.001
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    1. Gabriel Popescu & Nicolae Istudor & Alina Zaharia & Maria-Claudia Diaconeasa & Ioana Panait & Marian-Cătălin Cucu, 2021. "A Macroeconomic Review of the Factors Influencing Fruit Consumption in Romania—The Road towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Cai, Hongyi & Biesbroek, Sander & Chang, Zhiyao & Wen, Xin & Fan, Shenggen & Veer, Pieter van 't & Talsma, Elise F., 2024. "How do regional and demographic differences in diets affect the health and environmental impact in China?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    3. Gao, Siqi & Cuffey, Joel & Li, Gucheng & Li, Wenying, 2024. "Diet in China during substantial economic growth: Quality, inequality, trends, and determinants," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dietary guidelines; Sustainable food consumption; Environment; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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