164
et al. 2013). Global interest in this nutrition-sensitive approach, which might offer
sustainable solutions for local population, is recently increasing. However, so far,
the evidence base is weak on how to make interventions that address more nutritionsensitive underlying determinants (Haddad et al. 2015). Masset et al., for example,
systematically reviewed papers assessing the impact of agricultural intervention on
improvements in child nutritional status and concluded that very little evidence was
found for such intervention, because the prevalence of malnutrition was mostly
caused by methodological weakness (2012).
The Global Nutrition Reports 2014 and 2015 provided some specific ideas for
interventions on food systems and agriculture; however, evidence is limited to
kitchen gardening and bio-fortification (IFPRI 2016). Furthermore, as mentioned
earlier, global efforts to combat child malnutrition have until recently mainly targeted undernutrition. Many developing countries now, however, need to simultaneously solve dual forms of malnutrition such as undernutrition and overnutrition.
Child overweight or obesity is rapidly increasing in those countries (Black et al.
2013). The basic driver of undernutrition is mostly limited food accessibility, availability, and affordability, whereas that of overnutrition is basically inappropriate
dietary choices or behaviors.
Inappropriate dietary choices or behaviors relate to various socioeconomic factors such as subsistence patterns, local economy, food system, food environment,
and health and nutrition education, which imply that multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary approaches are necessary to solve the problem. Solving the problem of
undernutrition used to be the main target of development strategies in the context of
food security. In terms of quantity of food, agriculture enhanced by development
strategies after the Green Revolution contributed to food security. However, there
have been many problems in terms of quality and nutrition intake. In addition, the
unexpected issue of becoming overweight is now arising. At the same time, it has
been recognized that dietary patterns impact environment, which is discussed in the
next section.
8.3.2 Environment and Nutrition
In 2010, FAO proposed the concept of a ‘sustainable diet’ – a diet with low environmental impact that contributes to food and nutrition security and to a healthier life
for present and future generations (FAO 2012). Since that time, the amount of literature assessing the environmental impact of dietary behavior has been increasing.
The review work of Auestad and Fulgoni about ‘sustainable diet’ found 31 papers
examining sustainable diet mostly published from 2010 to 2014. Those papers
assessed different indicators of the environmental impacts of different diet patterns
such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land capacity, energy/fossil fuel use, and
water use (Auestad and Fulgoni 2015).
The health community also recognizes that environmental sustainability is
increasing. WHO recently highlighted the importance of win-win approaches to
H. Matsuda et al.
et al. 2013). Global interest in this nutrition-sensitive approach, which might offer
sustainable solutions for local population, is recently increasing. However, so far,
the evidence base is weak on how to make interventions that address more nutritionsensitive underlying determinants (Haddad et al. 2015). Masset et al., for example,
systematically reviewed papers assessing the impact of agricultural intervention on
improvements in child nutritional status and concluded that very little evidence was
found for such intervention, because the prevalence of malnutrition was mostly
caused by methodological weakness (2012).
The Global Nutrition Reports 2014 and 2015 provided some specific ideas for
interventions on food systems and agriculture; however, evidence is limited to
kitchen gardening and bio-fortification (IFPRI 2016). Furthermore, as mentioned
earlier, global efforts to combat child malnutrition have until recently mainly targeted undernutrition. Many developing countries now, however, need to simultaneously solve dual forms of malnutrition such as undernutrition and overnutrition.
Child overweight or obesity is rapidly increasing in those countries (Black et al.
2013). The basic driver of undernutrition is mostly limited food accessibility, availability, and affordability, whereas that of overnutrition is basically inappropriate
dietary choices or behaviors.
Inappropriate dietary choices or behaviors relate to various socioeconomic factors such as subsistence patterns, local economy, food system, food environment,
and health and nutrition education, which imply that multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary approaches are necessary to solve the problem. Solving the problem of
undernutrition used to be the main target of development strategies in the context of
food security. In terms of quantity of food, agriculture enhanced by development
strategies after the Green Revolution contributed to food security. However, there
have been many problems in terms of quality and nutrition intake. In addition, the
unexpected issue of becoming overweight is now arising. At the same time, it has
been recognized that dietary patterns impact environment, which is discussed in the
next section.
8.3.2 Environment and Nutrition
In 2010, FAO proposed the concept of a ‘sustainable diet’ – a diet with low environmental impact that contributes to food and nutrition security and to a healthier life
for present and future generations (FAO 2012). Since that time, the amount of literature assessing the environmental impact of dietary behavior has been increasing.
The review work of Auestad and Fulgoni about ‘sustainable diet’ found 31 papers
examining sustainable diet mostly published from 2010 to 2014. Those papers
assessed different indicators of the environmental impacts of different diet patterns
such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land capacity, energy/fossil fuel use, and
water use (Auestad and Fulgoni 2015).
The health community also recognizes that environmental sustainability is
increasing. WHO recently highlighted the importance of win-win approaches to
H. Matsuda et al.