Nutrition policy crucial in response to climate and public health crises, senior specialist urges

17 Aug 2023 --- Objective government nutrition recommendations, healthy dietary patterns, adequate nutrition security and education are needed to improve nutrition policy in the US and build resilience against current public health crises brought on by humans, according to the latest paper by Mark Rifkin, senior food & agricultural policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

The paper, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, highlights how nutrition policy changes critical to addressing the chronic disease epidemic could simultaneously mitigate climate-related risks and capacity limitations to health care and food systems.

Rifkin states that attempts to reform food systems, which are classified as essential to meet climate reduction targets, urgently need to be revised. 

Burden of disaster and disease
According to the multiple source academic evaluation, the disease burden is compounded by climate-related impacts on disaster risk, food production, nutrition security and COVID-19. “The urgency of reforms in food policy, food production and eating patterns cannot be overstated,” Rifkin writes. 

Earlier this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that global food systems must dramatically transform for society to prevent Earth’s warming over 1.5 Celsius by 2050. Balanced diets with less meat, green investments and crop resilience innovations will be critical to slowing emissions while maintaining agricultural yields and safeguarding planetary food security.

The current paper identifies gaps in policy, capacity and key infrastructure. For example, given the connection between largely-preventable chronic diseases and individual and public resilience to the climate crisis, areas in policy development, such as implementing a shift in national dietary habits, need to be addressed.

The structural and surge capacity of healthcare facilities to accommodate climate and disaster shocks are inadequate and have been observed through the burdens of routine patient demand during shortages in medical and responder staffing situations such as COVID-19.

Gaps exist in structural, economic and policy settings to mitigate the high prevalence of chronic diseases given the high prevalence of chronic illness and infirmities in marginalized communities. Improvements need to be made regarding access to healthcare and response planning.

Poor policies affect welfareDisease burden is exacerbated by climate-related impacts on food security.
Natural disasters have become the norm occurring more frequently and consecutively. The public health system and the capacity of first responders are overburdened. In addition, delays in recovery from a disaster cause further vulnerability in the long term.

Meanwhile, multiple threats are jeopardizing the global agricultural system, including crop damage, malnutrition and food insecurity, due to the effects of Canada’s wildfires and the impacts of global warming. Smoke from Canada’s wildfires spread to Norway, and this year’s June has been declared the hottest June in some parts of the world. 

Rifkin emphasizes that the complexities of addressing consecutive disaster risks have created significant barriers to effective policy solutions.

Treating conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension use substantial healthcare resources. According to the research, 60% of US citizens now have at least one chronic disease, and 67% of that population have at least two, almost double that of 20 years prior. 

People with diabetes face a higher risk during a natural disaster. Evacuation may change their dietary habits, impact suitable insulin storage and interfere with access to medications and essential supplies. Once the patient is not complying with a medication schedule, their blood glucose status is altered, which can quickly produce life-threatening consequences.

Rifkin also stresses that there are “synergistic effects” of chronic disease and climate change on marginalized populations. Temperature extremes, for example, can increase morbidity and mortality associated with common chronic diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, overweight and obesity. 

Furthermore, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition aims to address growing malnutrition and hunger in vulnerable populations due to COVID-19, conflicts and climate change in a five-year strategy. The organization adds that a lack of access to affordable healthy diets lies at the root of all forms of malnutrition. 

By Inga de Jong