Environmental Impact of Diets in 10 European countries

Abstract Background A growing consensus suggests that dietary changes have the potential to lessen the environmental impacts of food production. We performed a cross-country comparison of dietary patterns and their associated environmental impact in Europe, including by socio-demographic factors. Methods We analyzed pooled cross-sectional 24/48/72-hour dietary records collected during 2010-2018 from 10 European countries using the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Comprehensive European Food Database (16,508 adults; age 18-79 years). Each food consumed was mapped to the corresponding environmental impact data using the SHARP Indicators Database, which provides greenhouse gas emission (GHGE kgCO2-eq/day) and land use (LU m2*year/day) values for approximately 900 foods. Multivariable linear regression models were used to compare diet-associated GHGE and LU between population subgroups (gender, age, education, and diet type) with country-level fixed effects. We also analyzed the contributions of major food groups to the mean daily total of GHGE and LU for each country. Results The mean dietary GHGE and LU per capita ranged from 4.0 kgCO2eq and 5.0 m2*year in Spain to 6.5 kgCO2eq and 8.2 m2*year in France. Diet-related GHGE and LU (per Kg/food) were lower amongst females (2.6kgCO2eq, B=−0.08, P < 0.01; 3.2m2*year, B=−0.11, P < 0.01), people aged 66-79 (2.6kgCO2eq, B=−0.03, P < 0.01; 3.4m2*year, B=−0.4, P < 0.01), people following vegetarian diets (1.7kgCO2eq, B=−0.07, P < 0.01; 2.0m2*year, B=−0.07, P < 0.01), and higher amongst individuals with secondary education (2.7kgCO2eq, B = 0.04, P < 0.01; 3.6m2*year, B = 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusions The impact of specific food groups on environmental footprints varies across countries and between different socio-demographic groups, signaling that cultural, literacy and generational factors possibly contribute to determine consumers’ environmental footprints. Key messages • The environmental impact varies across nations and socio-economic groups, highlighting the significant role played by cultural and generational factors in shaping consumers’ environmental footprints. • The study findings are crucial for the development of country-specific food policies aimed at promoting environmentally friendly diets.