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Environmental Impacts of Foods in the Adventist Health Study-2 Dietary Questionnaire

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Berardy

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA
    First two authors contributed equally and are listed in arbitrary order.)

  • Ujué Fresán

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBER-ESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Instituto de Salud Pública y Laboral de Navarra, 31003 Pamplona, Spain
    First two authors contributed equally and are listed in arbitrary order.)

  • Rodrigo A. Matos

    (School of Engineering, Universidad Peruana Union, Lima 07001, Peru)

  • Abigail Clarke

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA)

  • Alfredo Mejia

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA)

  • Karen Jaceldo-Siegl

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA)

  • Joan Sabaté

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92318, USA)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to use life cycle assessment to estimate the environmental impacts (from farm to factory gate) of the 198 hard-coded line-items included in the food frequency questionnaire of the Adventist Health Study-2 survey and to assess differences among food groups. Life cycle inventories were created using existing data sources and primary data, and their global warming potential (GWP), land use, and water consumption impacts were assessed using the ReCiPe 2016 methodology. In addition to presenting the impacts according to weight and protein content across food groups, we include the novel addition of presenting impacts according to the NOVA classification indicating various levels of processing. Food categories were compared based on one kilogram of edible food, protein food sources were compared based on one kilogram of protein, and NOVA comparisons were based on one serving. In general, meats had the highest environmental impacts per both weight and protein content, while the lowest overall impacts per kilogram came from fruits. Meat analogs had the lowest overall impacts per kilogram of protein, contrary to expectations that additional processing would result in higher environmental impacts when compared to whole plant-based foods. Per serving, ultra-processed foods had the highest GWP, processed foods the highest land use, and minimally processed foods the highest water consumption. Results from this analysis were consistent with other studies. Results from this study suggest that meat and ultra-processed foods have the overall worst environmental impacts, but high water consumption in some minimally processed foods means that those should be carefully considered as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Berardy & Ujué Fresán & Rodrigo A. Matos & Abigail Clarke & Alfredo Mejia & Karen Jaceldo-Siegl & Joan Sabaté, 2020. "Environmental Impacts of Foods in the Adventist Health Study-2 Dietary Questionnaire," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:24:p:10267-:d:458946
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boehm, Rebecca & Wilde, Parke E. & Ver Ploeg, Michele & Costello, Christine & Cash, Sean B., 2018. "A Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Household Food Choices," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 67-76.
    2. Andrew Berardy & Carol S. Johnston & Alexandra Plukis & Maricarmen Vizcaino & Christopher Wharton, 2019. "Integrating Protein Quality and Quantity with Environmental Impacts in Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-11, May.
    3. Nijdam, Durk & Rood, Trudy & Westhoek, Henk, 2012. "The price of protein: Review of land use and carbon footprints from life cycle assessments of animal food products and their substitutes," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 760-770.
    4. Bradley G. Ridoutt & Peerasak Sanguansri & Gregory S. Harper, 2011. "Comparing Carbon and Water Footprints for Beef Cattle Production in Southern Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(12), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Elias Marvinney & Jin Wook Ro & Alissa Kendall, 2020. "Trade-Offs in Net Life Cycle Energy Balance and Water Consumption in California Almond Orchards," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, June.
    6. Peter Scarborough & Paul Appleby & Anja Mizdrak & Adam Briggs & Ruth Travis & Kathryn Bradbury & Timothy Key, 2014. "Dietary greenhouse gas emissions of meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans in the UK," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 179-192, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Kustar & Dalia Patino-Echeverri, 2021. "A Review of Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of Diets: Plant-Based Solutions Are Truly Sustainable, even in the Form of Fast Foods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, September.

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