Exploring environmental footprints and socio-demographic characteristics of Indian diets

Feb 14, 2025The Science of the total environment

Environmental impact and social factors of diets in India

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

The mean greenhouse gas emissions of Indian diets were 4.42 kgCO-eq/day.

Dairy and fats & oils were identified as the largest contributors to dietary greenhouse gas emissions and land use footprints, respectively.
Processed foods were the highest contributors to the dietary green and blue water footprints.
Socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, marital status, occupation, caste, religion, number of children, and region were significant predictors of dietary environmental footprints.
Current Indian diets had environmental footprints that were 40-48% higher than recommended national dietary guidelines.
Dietary changes, including increased millet consumption and reduced dairy and processed food intake, could support sustainability in Indian diets.

AI simplified

Agriculture is one of the major contributors to India's environmental footprint. The climatic impacts of Indian diets will likely increase due to the rising population, urbanization, and dietary transition. Assessment of multiple environmental indicators related to diet and sociological drivers has not been well studied in the Indian context. Therefore, we aim to quantify the environmental footprints of Indian diets and to identify the socio-demographic predictors. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey among 930 Indian adults (≥18 years) based on convenience sampling. Dietary data collected through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire were matched with India-specific footprint data to quantify dietary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, green and blue water footprints (WF), and land use footprints. Multiple linear regression was run to identify socio-demographic predictors of dietary environmental footprints. The mean GHG emissions, green and blue WFs, and land use footprints of diets were 4.42 kgCO-eq/day, 3.94 m/day, 0.84 m/day, and 9.0 m/day, respectively. Dairy and fats & oils accounted for the largest share of dietary GHG emissions and land use footprints, respectively. Processed foods (baked, fried, preserved products, beverages, drinks) were the highest contributor to dietary green and blue WF. Gender, age, marital status, occupation, caste, religion, number of children or adolescents in the family, and region were significant predictors of dietary environmental footprints. The environmental footprint of current diets was 40-48 % higher than national dietary guidelines. Dietary diversification with the inclusion of millet, reduction in dairy and processed food intake, shifting to dietary guidelines, and targeted inventions among various social groups will pave the way towards the sustainability of Indian diets. 2 3 3 2

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (XML) ↗View full text ↗

Exploring environmental footprints and socio-demographic characteristics of Indian diets

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief