April 24 is Stop Food Waste Day

The single largest day of action in the fight against global food waste. See the links below to learn about the various ways you can show your support and make a difference to prevent food waste on this day to Stop Food Waste (and every day): RECIPES & TIPS It all starts at home. CheckContinue reading “April 24 is Stop Food Waste Day”

Global warming is coming for your shopping cart: New research

A team of economists dig into a relatively under-studied area: Climate inflation. Climate change is already increasing food prices and overall inflation, and these effects are likely to accelerate in the future, according to a new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. “The findings add heft to a growing collection of researchContinue reading “Global warming is coming for your shopping cart: New research”

Soy production – and cattle ranching – linked to “shocking” land clearance in Brazil’s Cerrado and the Amazon, study says

“Nearly 60,000 hectares of forest was cleared in Brazil’s Cerrado and Amazon in late 2023, with likely ties to the supply chains of some of the world’s largest soy exporters including Bunge and Cargill, a report has found. The Cerrado is the second-largest Brazilian biome, and one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. Covering 22%Continue reading “Soy production – and cattle ranching – linked to “shocking” land clearance in Brazil’s Cerrado and the Amazon, study says”

Ultra-processed foods linked to early death, obesity, diabetes, and mental disorders: Largest study to date finds

Eating ultra-processed foods raises the risk of developing or dying from dozens of adverse health conditions, according to a new “umbrella review” of 45 meta-analyses. The authors found consistent evidence linking higher intakes of ultra-processed foods with over 70% of the 45 different health outcomes assessed. The umbrella review, a high-level evidence summary, included 45 distinct pooledContinue reading “Ultra-processed foods linked to early death, obesity, diabetes, and mental disorders: Largest study to date finds”

World Obesity Atlas 2024: No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of obesity

March 4, 2024 is World Obesity Day. This year’s Obesity Atlas, published by the World Obesity Federation, reveals that “No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of Obesity,” and that: “Rising rates of obesity rates across the world reveal massive gaps in healthcare and nutrition, with poorest populations most adversely affected.” TheContinue reading “World Obesity Atlas 2024: No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of obesity”

Towards a more holistic understanding of sustainable diets: An ecological public health approach

According to a recent scoping review titled, “Global dietary patterns are not sustainable” published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, a more holistic understanding of the concept ‘sustainable diets’ is needed. There is broad consensus that consumers must be encouraged to shift toward sustainable diets, defined by Burlingame and Dermini (2010) as: “diets with low environmentalContinue reading “Towards a more holistic understanding of sustainable diets: An ecological public health approach”

Foodwise: A kid’s guide on fighting food waste and saving the planet

“In a world faced with the imminent threat of climate change, two passionate women, Lucy Bell and Lucy Leonardi, have joined forces to do their bit to tackle the enormous challenge of food waste, which contributes to climate change in a big way.” “Their collaborative effort has resulted in the creation of a remarkable book,Continue reading “Foodwise: A kid’s guide on fighting food waste and saving the planet”

New research finds nearly 90% of proteins tested, even vegan alternatives, contain microplastics

Using less plastic and purchasing and consuming fewer pre-packaged highly processed foods should be on everyone’s sustainability list for 2024. Why is this the case? A new study by researchers at the University of Toronto and Ocean Conservancy published in the journal Environmental Pollution (2024) evaluated microplastics in different types of protein-containing foods in theContinue reading “New research finds nearly 90% of proteins tested, even vegan alternatives, contain microplastics”

Food and sustainability: Is it a matter of choice?: A review

A recent review published in the journal Sustainability focuses on results of life cycle analysis (LCA) articles that summarize the current state of food choices on our environment. This narrative review “aims to demonstrate that healthy plant-based choices in our diet are linked to choices beneficial to our environment.” The authors also highlight the opportunitiesContinue reading “Food and sustainability: Is it a matter of choice?: A review”

Ultra-processed foods linked to increased cancer risk, diabetes, and heart disease

New research published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe found that the higher the consumption of ultra-processed foods, the higher the risk of suffering from a combination of chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, “Ultra-processed foods are convenient (long-shelf life, ready-to-eat), industrially manufactured foodsContinue reading “Ultra-processed foods linked to increased cancer risk, diabetes, and heart disease”