food consumption patterns

This article indicates that forest foods can contribute significantly to achieving nutrition and food security in the forest-dependent communities. Despite the under-utilization and neglect of forest foods, studies indicate that these foods can enrich household diets, providing essential nutrients and bioactive compounds that can prevent undernutrition and coronary diseases, and provide sources of income for millions of people »

This policy brief reviews food safety issues that are critical to poor and vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on their impact on healthy diets. With growing international concern over unsafe food, it is important that policies in agriculture and the food system are designed to ensure both the nutritional quality and the safety of the foods we eat. While food safety has traditionally been a health or medical matter, it is increasingly recognized as an important issue for agriculture and food systems since it influences trade, rural incomes, and purchasing power and workers productivity. »

This report recommends a dietary shift from animal-based protein to more plant-based protein. People who consume high amounts of meat and dairy could significantly reduce the pressure on the environment from agriculture through shifting to diets with a greater share of plant-based foods. The overall recommendations are that dietary shifts are needed that: 1) reduce overconsumption of calories; 2) reduce overconsumption of protein through reducing consumption of animal-based foods; 3) reduce consumption of beef specifically. »

This article focuses on the urban-rural linkages in the emerging food system. Recent debates on food and agricultural issues emphasize the significance of the spatialization of food systems and location of agriculture. In this emerging food system geography, urban-rural relationships play a significant role in food value chains, food security and nutrition, which is still poorly understood. This presentation explores these issues based on rural-urban scenarios in 2050. »

This article argues that contrary to the opinions expressed by many commentators, the recent episode of higher prices for agricultural commodities is likely a transitory phenomenon. When compared to the last half-century, population growth is expected to be much slower in the coming decades, with nearly all of the growth occurring in lower income countries, where added population places less pressure on global markets. »

This report focuses on the wider health impacts of future changes in agricultural production. While much research focuses on questions on food security, less attention has been devoted to assessing the health impacts. In this modelling study, the authors estimate that the health impacts of climate change from changes in dietary and weight related risk factors could be significant, and exceed other climate-related health impacts that have been estimated. »