Linking Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health

Linking Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health

Introduction

  • Presenters: Chris Vogliano, MS, RD, LD; Alison Steiber, PhD, RDN; Katie Brown, EdD, RDN, LD

  • Context: With a predicted world population of 9 billion by 2050, food production must adapt to ensure both human and environmental health.

  • Key Issues: There is an urgent need for the right types of food produced sustainably, respecting environmental limits.

Global Nutrition Challenges

  • Global Statistics:

    • 1 billion people undernourished due to calorie deficiencies.

    • 2 billion individuals suffering from micronutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamin A, iodine, iron, and zinc.

  • Consequences of Deficiencies:

    • Leads to childhood stunting.

    • Impairs mental and physical development.

    • Negatively impacts productivity at individual and community levels.

  • Overnutrition:

    • Includes overweight and obesity, which correlate with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, and chronic lung diseases.

    • In 2012, NCDs accounted for 68% of deaths worldwide according to WHO.

Challenges for Sustainable Food Supply

  • Resource Limitations:

    • As of now, 1.2 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day.

  • Middle-Class Growth:

    • Global middle class expected to increase significantly by 2030, providing the opportunity for improved nutrition.

  • Dietary Shifts:

    • Growing trend in developing nations towards diets high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates.

The Role of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs)

  • Contribution Gap:

    • There is a gap in involvement of RDNs in existing efforts addressing nutrition and agriculture challenges.

  • Recognition by Academy:

    • Importance of RDNs identified for influencing agriculture for better health outcomes.

Conference Overview

Goals of the Conference

  • Purpose: To establish consensus on the role of RDNs at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, and health.

  • Participants: 21 nutrition experts providing insights through presentations and discussions.

Consensus Conference Goals

  1. Advance Sustainable Agricultural Practices and Production Methods:

    • Assess current agricultural practices related to health and nutrition.

  2. Increase Accessibility to Nutrient-Dense Foods:

    • Evaluate global initiatives to identify RDN intervention opportunities.

  3. Increase Global Capacity for RDNs:

    • Address education needs integrating agriculture, health, and nutrition.

Chief Conference Themes

Need for RDN Involvement

  • Opportunities Identified:

    • Fostering collaboration between stakeholders.

    • Educating the public and health professionals.

    • Identifying outcome standards.

    • Advocating for global nutrition security.

Advancing Sustainable Agriculture Practices across the Food Supply Chain

  • Importance of RDN Expertise:

    • RDNs to enhance nutritional value through improved food supply chain practices.

  • Forecasted Needs:

    • By 2050, need to double food production on existing farmland.

  • Key RDN Contributions:

    • Promote agricultural innovation and sustainable techniques.

    • Advocate for safe, nutritious food processing and distribution methods.

    • Collaborate with retailers to improve access to nutrient-dense foods.

    • Educate consumers on healthy eating behaviors and food preservation techniques.

  • Food Waste:

    • Approx. 1.3 billion tons of food wasted annually (1/3 of food produced).

    • Food production contributes 6% to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions.

    • Food waste reduction as an effective climate change mitigation strategy.

Increasing Accessibility to Nutrient-Dense Foods

  • Current Issues:

    • Food distribution and affordability are barriers to accessing nutrient-dense foods.

  • UN Estimates:

    • 805 million people suffer from chronic undernourishment as per 2014 data.

  • RDN Role:

    • Advocate for policies promoting wages, health care access, and educational opportunities—key to achieving nutrition security.

Future Practice and Capacity Building for RDNs

  • Demand Growth:

    • Global economy increasing demand for skilled RDNs.

  • Challenges:

    • Many countries face low RDN-to-patient ratios and inadequate salary conditions.

  • Opportunities:

    • Development of training and global standards of practice to promote food and nutrition security.

Priority Actions and Accountability

Call to Action

  • Identified Actions:

    1. Collaborate with agricultural stakeholders for nutrient-dense food systems.

    2. Disseminate scientific information to support resilient food systems.

    3. Develop educational resources to enhance RDN proficiencies.

Collaborative Opportunities

  • Sought Partnerships:

    • Engagement with organizations such as Feeding America, USDA, and WHO for holistic solutions in nutrition security.

  • Expected Outcomes:

    • Improved agricultural practices and health outcomes through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Conclusions

  • RDNs’ Unique Positioning:

    • RDNs can spearhead initiatives for sustainable, nutrient-focused agriculture that alleviates malnutrition.

  • Role of Dietetic Practice Groups:

    • Existing groups like the Hunger and Environmental DPG provide resources for education on healthy food systems.

  • Final Vision:

    • The Academy promotes access to a nutrient-dense, affordable, and sustainable food supply for all.