“…Our findings of greater benefits from the pathways that prioritized vegetables over fruit substantiate the recommendations of several countries including Sweden, India, and the United States, which have chosen to promote consumption of vegetables over fruit for both health and sustainability reasons ( 59–61 ). Recent studies have, however, shown that the UK population increasingly prefers imported tropical fruit over locally grown vegetables ( 19 ). These trends may be difficult to reverse without positive interventions on the part of government and the food industry.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Similar to other northern European countries, the United Kingdom is currently heavily reliant on international trade for supplying fruit and vegetables ( 19 ) and many supplier countries are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the adverse effects of environmental change ( 19 , 20 ). Continued reliance on imported produce might not only exacerbate conditions in supplier countries (by, e.g., contributing to water stress) but also make the United Kingdom more vulnerable to market and price volatilities ( 19 ). Consumers’ abilities to purchase fruit and vegetables—foods with high price elasticities ( 21 )—may be significantly jeopardized with increased reliance on fruit and vegetable imports, especially under a potential no-deal Brexit ( 22 ).…”
Background
Fruit and vegetable consumption in the United Kingdom is currently well below recommended levels, with a significant associated public health burden. The United Kingdom has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and this transition will require shifts towards plant-based diets.
Objective
The aim was to quantify the health effects, environmental footprints, and cost associated with 4 different pathways to meeting the United Kingdom's “5-a-day” recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption.
Methods
Dietary data based on 18,006 food diaries from 4528 individuals participating in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2012/13–2016/17) constituted the baseline diet. Linear programming was used to model the hypothetical adoption of the 5-a-day (400 g) recommendation, which was assessed according to 4 pathways differing in their prioritization of fruits versus vegetables and UK-produced versus imported varieties. Increases in fruit and vegetable consumption were substituted for consumption of sweet snacks and meat, respectively. Changes in life expectancy were assessed using the IOMLIFET life table model. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), blue water footprint (WF), and total diet cost were quantified for each 5-a-day diet.
Results
Achieving the 5-a-day target in the United Kingdom could increase average life expectancy at birth by 7–8 mo and reduce diet-related GHGEs by 6.1 to 12.2 Mt carbon dioxide equivalents/y; blue WFs would change by −0.14 to +0.07 km3/y. Greater reductions in GHGEs were achieved by prioritizing increased vegetable consumption over fruit, whereas the greatest reduction in WF was obtained by prioritizing vegetable varieties produced in the United Kingdom. All consumption pathways increased diet cost (£0.34–£0.46/d)
Conclusions
Benefits to both population and environmental health could be expected from consumption pathways that meet the United Kingdom's 5-a-day target for fruit and vegetables. Our analysis identifies cross-sectoral trade-offs and opportunities for national policy to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in the United Kingdom.
“…Our findings of greater benefits from the pathways that prioritized vegetables over fruit substantiate the recommendations of several countries including Sweden, India, and the United States, which have chosen to promote consumption of vegetables over fruit for both health and sustainability reasons ( 59–61 ). Recent studies have, however, shown that the UK population increasingly prefers imported tropical fruit over locally grown vegetables ( 19 ). These trends may be difficult to reverse without positive interventions on the part of government and the food industry.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Similar to other northern European countries, the United Kingdom is currently heavily reliant on international trade for supplying fruit and vegetables ( 19 ) and many supplier countries are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the adverse effects of environmental change ( 19 , 20 ). Continued reliance on imported produce might not only exacerbate conditions in supplier countries (by, e.g., contributing to water stress) but also make the United Kingdom more vulnerable to market and price volatilities ( 19 ). Consumers’ abilities to purchase fruit and vegetables—foods with high price elasticities ( 21 )—may be significantly jeopardized with increased reliance on fruit and vegetable imports, especially under a potential no-deal Brexit ( 22 ).…”
Background
Fruit and vegetable consumption in the United Kingdom is currently well below recommended levels, with a significant associated public health burden. The United Kingdom has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and this transition will require shifts towards plant-based diets.
Objective
The aim was to quantify the health effects, environmental footprints, and cost associated with 4 different pathways to meeting the United Kingdom's “5-a-day” recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption.
Methods
Dietary data based on 18,006 food diaries from 4528 individuals participating in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2012/13–2016/17) constituted the baseline diet. Linear programming was used to model the hypothetical adoption of the 5-a-day (400 g) recommendation, which was assessed according to 4 pathways differing in their prioritization of fruits versus vegetables and UK-produced versus imported varieties. Increases in fruit and vegetable consumption were substituted for consumption of sweet snacks and meat, respectively. Changes in life expectancy were assessed using the IOMLIFET life table model. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), blue water footprint (WF), and total diet cost were quantified for each 5-a-day diet.
Results
Achieving the 5-a-day target in the United Kingdom could increase average life expectancy at birth by 7–8 mo and reduce diet-related GHGEs by 6.1 to 12.2 Mt carbon dioxide equivalents/y; blue WFs would change by −0.14 to +0.07 km3/y. Greater reductions in GHGEs were achieved by prioritizing increased vegetable consumption over fruit, whereas the greatest reduction in WF was obtained by prioritizing vegetable varieties produced in the United Kingdom. All consumption pathways increased diet cost (£0.34–£0.46/d)
Conclusions
Benefits to both population and environmental health could be expected from consumption pathways that meet the United Kingdom's 5-a-day target for fruit and vegetables. Our analysis identifies cross-sectoral trade-offs and opportunities for national policy to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in the United Kingdom.
“…Data from the UK's Living Costs and Food Survey show that while purchases of fruit increased between 1974 and 2014, vegetable purchases declined 2 . In 1987, for example, bananas had only a 3% share of the UK's fruit and vegetable supply; this had increased to a 7.8% share by 2013, while cabbages and brassicas fell from a 7.5% share to just 2.4% during the same period of time 3 .…”
Section: Why Is Vegetable Consumption So Low In the Uk?mentioning
“…For example, 76% of the freshwater consumed in the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to the UK is drawn from countries outside the UK including those that may be suffering from a high risk of water scarcity, e.g. Spain, Egypt and South Africa (Scheelbeek et al, 2020).…”
Section: Sustainable Agricultural Standards and Watermentioning
This review synthesises evidence on water in sustainable agriculture standards. Sustainable agricultural standards, hereafter standards, is a broad term encompassing certification schemes, tools, and programmes. The International Trade Centre’s Sustainability Standards Map includes 166 agricultural standards . However, there is a smaller number of prominent standards that are popularly used by major retailers or for particular commodities. Two studies looking at how water is considered in standards selected smaller numbers: Morgan (2017) benchmarks 25 popular use conventional agricultural standards and organic standards, whilst Vos & Boelens (2014) selected eight prominent standards for their analysis. The evidence base for this request was limited. Whilst water is included in individual standards, there is limited research on the efficacy or impact of standards on water issues. This review identified an extremely small number of studies that either assessed or benchmarked standards’ water related requirements or the impacts of certification and water requirements on water resources.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
