Short Communication - Journal of Public Health and Nutrition (2021) Volume 4, Issue 11

Environmental societal and public health nutrition consequencs of food.

Departments of Administration and Surgical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Corresponding Author:

Avinash Gupta
Departments of Administration and Surgical
Oncology,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,
India
E-mail: guptaavin02@gmail.com

Accepted date: November 18^th, 2021

Citation: Gupta A. Environmental societal and public health nutrition consequencs of food. J Pub Health Nutri. 2021; 4(11):380-381.

Abstract

Introduction

The health and nutrition system is described as the collection of procedures and tasks that change raw materials into foods and nutrients into clinical outcomes, all of which operate as a system within biophysical and socio-cultural settings. The goal is to look at the true cost of food to the environment and public health, mostly for the sake of brevity. It begins by recounting the contemporary food system's historical evolution, including a study of power dynamics inside the system. The effects on the environment are then described, as well as the social and health expenses that are unintended consequences of this system. Finally, current understanding of the ways in which local food systems may reduce the environmental, social, and economic impacts of our present food system, while simultaneously improving people's nutritional health, indicates that public medical nutrition can contribute to this burgeoning literature [1]

The current paper investigates the nature and scope of these costs for both remote communities, illustrating the financial pressures on food producers and manufacturers to produce low-cost food, the disconnect people have with how and where their food is produced, and the global obesity epidemic. The study goes on to say that community food systems can help mitigate the negative environmental, economic, and social repercussions of the dominant food supply chain by using more sustainable food production methods, developing local economies, and allowing buyers and sellers to connect more closely. There are several possibilities for public health nutritionists to contribute to the literature on local food systems to determine if these systems reduce inequity, enhance access to nutritious food, and help stem the tide of growing global obesity levels. Nutritionists in public health may assist individuals in becoming food citizens and advocating for democratic and sustainable food systems.

Influences on the Existing Food System

The present global food system has significant hurdles in producing enough food for a growing global population while also meeting the economic, environmental, and social demands of sustainable development. It seems incredible that more than 800 million people, largely in developing countries, die hungry, while others suffer from chronic disease as a result of excessive consumption. Much of the increase in obesity and chronic disease is now occurring in developing economies that are undergoing a "nutrition transition," in which consumption of high-fat, high-sugar foods is increasing as a result of urbanization and global capitalism, displacing traditional starchy, high-fiber staples. Agriculture grew highly mechanized in order to attain high production rates, which led to a reliance on finite fossil fuel reserves to power big machinery, pumped irrigation methods, and manufacture artificial nitrogen fertilizers. Larger farms and fewer farmers have resulted from increased mechanization. Farmers are now growing specialized crops to increase production efficiency, with four primary grains — barley, maize, rice, and wheat–accounting for approximately 40% of worldwide farmland [2].

Consequences of the Current Food System

Food is traded as a commodity in the modern, globalized food system, just like any other product on the market; therefore tying food production to a specific location with cultural importance to a community is uncommon (Reference Pretty 3, Reference McMichae l19). Parallel to this, people are taught to believe that their food originates from international corporations rather than agriculture and the environment, resulting in an acceptance of an anonymous and uniform food supply that has led to the growth in diet-related disorders throughout the world [3].

The Existing Food System's Intervening Effects

Inadvertent environmental consequences have resulted from industrialized agricultural techniques that have been adjusted to generate optimum production for commercial advantage. Acidity and saline, both of which inhibit plant development, are further elements that affect soil quality. Water resources are impacted by the current agriculture system. It diverts water away from other possible uses, such as household, industrial, recreational, and natural. Second, agribusiness degrades water quality by polluting it with fertilisers and pesticides, as well as by increasing sediment and salt loads due to soil erosion and salinity. In addition, industrial agriculture favors the use of a limited number of crop species, replacing multi-strata vegetation and complex crop patterns, resulting in a loss of structural diversity and fragmentation of native habitats, as well as a decline in animal populations, particularly invertebrate consumers, predators, and pests. Mono-cropping also largely relies on the use of synthetic pesticides to prevent disease and insect damage to crops, further reducing biodiversity by killing wild bees and other species that aren't always the target organisms. Many of the genetically homogenous highyielding crop types employed in contemporary agriculture are less immune to viruses and pests, rendering them vulnerable to new or adapted parasites, posing a challenge to the present food system's sustainability [4].

Social and Economic Costs

The success of farms and food enterprises is dependent on individuals cooperating for a shared goal, which is dependent on society's civility. Putnam defines social capital as the number and quality of social interactions, civic involvement, reciprocity norms, and trust in a society, all of which have historically been strong in rural areas. However, due of its competitive character, the food system as it now operates diminishes personal ties between farmers, as well as between farmers and food processors and merchants. Farmers have had to forgo long-term sustainability for increased output in order to survive financially, as they compete on global marketplaces, making it harder for farmers to stay viable in the sector [5].

Conclusion

The contemporary industrial food system delivers an abundance of low-priced food, but it comes at a high cost to society, the atmosphere, and human health. According to current research, local food systems may have social, environmental, and health advantages, but public health nutrition experts need to better understand the linkages between local food systems use and improved eating habits, as well as reductions in obesity and chronic illness. In the meanwhile, public health nutritionists may aid individuals in becoming food citizens and advocating for democratic and sustainable food systems.

References

1. Tilman, D, Cassman KG, Matson PA, et al. Agricultural Sustainability and Intensive Production Practices. Nature. 2002;418(6898):671-77.
2. Sobal, J, Khan LK, Bisogni C. A Conceptual Model of the Food and Nutrition System. Soc Sci Med. 1998;47(7):853-63.
3. Tilman D. Global Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Expansion: the Need for Sustainable and Efficient Practices. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1999;96(11):5995-6000.
4. Popkin B. The Nutrition Transition and its Health Implications in Lower Income Countries. Public Health Nutri. 1998;1(1):5-21.
5. Burch D, Goss J. Global Sourcing and Retail Chains: Shifting Relationships of Production in Australian Agri-foods. Rural Sociol. 1999;64(2):334-50.