Impacts of shifting to healthier food consumption patterns on environmental sustainability in MENA countries

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries face considerable challenges in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Reducing the escalating diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), combatting food insecurity, and preserving environmental resources are major issues and these countries are struggling to address. The adoption of sustainable and healthy diets is proposed as a measure that would deliver both environmental and health benefits to these countries. Whether shifting to a recommended healthier food consumption pattern affects the environmental sustainability of the region needs to be investigated. This study assesses the environmental footprints—total and blue water, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE)—of four food groups (red meat, vegetables/beans, nuts/seeds, and fruits), shown to be associated with the burden of NCDs. Footprints of current and nutritionally recommended consumption levels were calculated, and the net savings or expenditure for each food group was aggregated across adult populations in each of 17 MENA countries. Results showed that reduced red-meat consumption would generate savings in all four footprints, while higher vegetables/beans, nuts/seeds, and fruits’ consumption would yield net expenditure in those footprints. The findings demonstrate the beneficial environmental effects of reducing consumption of red meat, and the tradeoffs that would result from a simultaneous increase in consumption of vegetables/beans, across MENA countries. Further analysis is needed to elucidate the environmental footprints of other recommended changes in food consumption habits that would clarify further potential tradeoffs associated with recommended shifts in the consumption of other protective and harmful foods in the MENA region.