Environmental impacts of food supply and obesogenic severity worldwide

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the severity of obesogenic societies is associated with more significant environmental impacts, and whether these impacts are associated with the production, supply, and consumption of animal foods more so than with plant foods.

Design/methodology/approach

This ecological study was based on analyses of available data regarding populations of countries throughout the world. The study analyzed indicators related to food production, food supply, the anthropometric traits of malnutrition, and ecological impacts. Data were analyzed via scatter plots and Pearson’s correlation.

Findings

Food supply, when compared with food production, is more significantly associated with environmental impacts. Also, the supply of meats, when compared with the supply of cereals, has a stronger association with environmental impacts and obesogenic severity. Meat supply is strongly associated with the ecological footprint (r=0.782, p < 0.001), with CO₂ emissions (r=0.602, p < 0.001), and with the water footprint (r=0.503, p < 0.001). Thus, the average body mass index (BMI) of populations worldwide is strongly associated with environmental impacts considering the ecological footprint (r=0.559, p < 0.001), and the CO₂ emissions (r=0.460, p < 0.001).

Practical implications

Actions that are better aligned with worldwide urgencies related to obesogenic problems, food supply/consumption, and environmental issues are needed. This study provides a better understanding about environmental and obesogenic impacts associated with food supply.

Originality/value

The originality is focussed on important evidence regarding environmental and obesogenic severity strongly associated with meat supply.

Citation

Abbade, E.B. (2015), "Environmental impacts of food supply and obesogenic severity worldwide", British Food Journal, Vol. 117 No. 12, pp. 2863-2879. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2014-0404