Environmental sustainability of diets among children and adolescents in the German DONALD cohort study: age and time trends, and nutrient adequacy

Karen van de Locht; Ines Perrar; Juliana Minetto Gellert Paris; Maike Elena Schnermann; Kolade Oluwagbemigun; Ute Alexy; Ute Nöthlings

doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.04.026

Environmental sustainability of diets among children and adolescents in the German DONALD cohort study: age and time trends, and nutrient adequacy

Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Apr 25:S0002-9165(24)00449-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.04.026. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Karen van de Locht¹, Ines Perrar¹, Juliana Minetto Gellert Paris², Maike Elena Schnermann¹, Kolade Oluwagbemigun¹, Ute Alexy¹, Ute Nöthlings³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
² Center for Development Research (ZEF), Department of Economic and Technological Change, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
³ Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: noethlings@uni-bonn.de.

PMID: 38677519
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.04.026

Abstract

Background: Identifying diets beneficial for both human and planetary health has become increasingly important. However, to date, there is limited research on sustainable diets for children and adolescents, a vulnerable population group with specific nutritional needs.

Objectives: We aimed to identify 1) the main determinants; 2) age and time trends of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), land use (LU), and water use (WU) of diets of children and adolescents; and 3) analyze the associations of dietary GHGE, LU, and WU with nutrient adequacy.

Methods: A total of 5510 3-d-weighted dietary records (n = 856; 6-17 y; 48% ♀) of the DONALD (DOrtmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed) study between 2000 and 2021 were analyzed. Values of GHGE (kgCO₂eq), LU (m² × year), and WU (L) determined by life cycle assessment were assigned to all recorded foods. For nutrient adequacy, the mean adequacy ratio (MAR = ∑(nutrient intake / recommended intake) / number of nutrients) was used. Data were analyzed using polynomial mixed-effects regression models.

Results: The main contributors to GHGE and LU were meat products (GHGE: 25.6%; LU: 32.8%), dairy products (22.2%; 17.7%), and sweets and pastries (14.0%; 14.3%); to WU, nonalcoholic beverages (24.3%), meat products (18.9%), and vegetables and fruits (17.7%). GHGE, LU, and WU per 1000 kcal increased with age (P < 0.01). GHGE and LU per 1000 kcal increased between 2000 and 2010 and decreased after that in females (P < 0.01) and males (GHGE only: P = 0.02). No significant time trend was found for WU (P > 0.05). A higher MAR was directly associated with GHGE/1000 kcal (MAR: β: 0.011, 95% CI: 0.008, 0.013, P < 0.0001), LU/1000 kcal (MAR: β: 0.009, 95%CI: 0.005, 0.013, P < 0.0001), and WU/1000 kcal (MAR: β: 0.429, 95% CI: 0.325, 0.533, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Our findings underscore the further need and the capacity for change toward more environmentally sustainable diets. Yet, the tradeoff between environmental sustainability and nutrient adequacy in the diets of children and adolescents requires specific attention to dietary composition.

Keywords: age trends; children and adolescents; diet; environmental sustainability; greenhouse gas emissions; land use; life cycle assessment; nutrient adequacy; time trends; water use.