The ADA steps in, FINALLY!
The American Dietetic Association finally steps in to state that nutrition professionals stand on the front line when it comes to educating people to make food choices that improve environmental sustainability. Here is the official position statement along with some excerpts:
"It is the position of the American Die-
tetic Association to encourage environ-
mentally responsible practices that
conserve natural resources, minimize
the quantity of waste generated, and
support the ecological sustainability
of the food system—the process of food
production, transformation, distribu-
tion, access, and consumption."
"Within the food system, the major
water user is the agricultural sector,
which consumes 84% of freshwater
supplies. In addition, agriculture is a
significant source of water resource
degradation. Pesticides enter surface
water and ground water systems and
have been detected in drinking water.
Fertilizers and livestock waste con-
tribute nitrates, which threaten eco-
systems and human health. Livestock
waste also can introduce disease-
causing parasites (eg, Cryptospo-
ridium and Giardia) to surface water
(50).
As previously stated, the US food system
is heavily dependent on energy. Dietary
protein choices can
make a significant difference in the
amount of energy we consume. Over-
all, animal protein production re-
quires 25 kcal for each kilocalorie pro-
duced as food. Grain protein
production requires only 2.2 kcal per
food kilocalorie."
"RDs and DTRs can encourage eat-
ing that is both healthful and con-
serving of soil, water, and energy by
emphasizing plant sources of protein
and foods that have been produced
with fewer agricultural inputs. ADA
encourages professionals to educate
themselves about the benefits and
limitations of organic production
methods for contributing to sustain-
able food systems."
"Food choices have a significant ef-
fect on the quantity of land needed for
food production. In a comparison of
environmental impacts of different
protein choices, researchers found
that meat protein required more land
to produce than vegetable protein by
a factor ranging from 6 to 17. In ad-
dition, meat protein production re-
quired approximately 26 times more
water than vegetable protein on rain-
fed lands, and production of vegetable
proteins was 2.5 to 50 times more en-
ergy efficient than meat production,
depending on the intensity of agricul-
tural practices (63)."
Read the entire paper for yourself at: http://eatright.org/ada/files/Conservenp.pdf
"It is the position of the American Die-
tetic Association to encourage environ-
mentally responsible practices that
conserve natural resources, minimize
the quantity of waste generated, and
support the ecological sustainability
of the food system—the process of food
production, transformation, distribu-
tion, access, and consumption."
"Within the food system, the major
water user is the agricultural sector,
which consumes 84% of freshwater
supplies. In addition, agriculture is a
significant source of water resource
degradation. Pesticides enter surface
water and ground water systems and
have been detected in drinking water.
Fertilizers and livestock waste con-
tribute nitrates, which threaten eco-
systems and human health. Livestock
waste also can introduce disease-
causing parasites (eg, Cryptospo-
ridium and Giardia) to surface water
(50).
As previously stated, the US food system
is heavily dependent on energy. Dietary
protein choices can
make a significant difference in the
amount of energy we consume. Over-
all, animal protein production re-
quires 25 kcal for each kilocalorie pro-
duced as food. Grain protein
production requires only 2.2 kcal per
food kilocalorie."
"RDs and DTRs can encourage eat-
ing that is both healthful and con-
serving of soil, water, and energy by
emphasizing plant sources of protein
and foods that have been produced
with fewer agricultural inputs. ADA
encourages professionals to educate
themselves about the benefits and
limitations of organic production
methods for contributing to sustain-
able food systems."
"Food choices have a significant ef-
fect on the quantity of land needed for
food production. In a comparison of
environmental impacts of different
protein choices, researchers found
that meat protein required more land
to produce than vegetable protein by
a factor ranging from 6 to 17. In ad-
dition, meat protein production re-
quired approximately 26 times more
water than vegetable protein on rain-
fed lands, and production of vegetable
proteins was 2.5 to 50 times more en-
ergy efficient than meat production,
depending on the intensity of agricul-
tural practices (63)."
Read the entire paper for yourself at: http://eatright.org/ada/files/Conservenp.pdf
It's about time the government acknowleges this! If only the food pyramid were updated to show no meat or dairy.
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