Health Promotion of Sustainable Diets: Key for Obesity Epidemic and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

Empirical studies reviewed serious problems of obesity epidemic regarding global aspects of food system and the current unsustainable dietary trends between food, health and environment are now being recognized. Despite livestock products provide one-third of humanity's protein intake, however they are a contributing cause of obesity and also the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious global environmental problems that intensified negative impacts on our eco-environments and produced a substantial greenhouse gas source that driving climate change with further adverse effects on the food production systems. This paper synthesized from literatures and research studies that generated within the context of 'Sustainable Diets' is in an attempt to foster opportunities for healthful practice, choice and life-style behaviour in support of the ecological public health concept associated with connections between disease burden of obesity epidemic and its related rising NCDs under these interwoven relationships of food, health and environmental sustainability concerns. Health professionals should recognize the needs for expanding their professional roles under this paradigm shift by reconceptualizing holistic vision on global health amongst humans, animals and the planetary. Education of this evolving role as integral part of virtuous trends of dietary transition to all disciplines of nutritional health, medicine, nursing and other allied health field are indeed absolutely indispensable for supporting sustainable development in health towards the 21 st century.