Linkages between Food Security, Nutrition and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Special Issue is to discuss the overlapping and complementary linkages between food security, nutrition and sustainability. Often, these aspects have been studied separately. However, consensus is now that a healthy diet is actually a sustainable diet (mainly rich in foods of plant origin). Global warming is changing food production and hence alters food security in both developed and developing countries. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals cannot overlook the role of the food sector, where some of the production systems have been detrimental to the environment at large and the population health in general.

Evidence supports a turn towards more plant-based diets for health, environmental and ethical reasons. In developed countries, large focus has been given to animal rights and animal welfare issues, while still poverty alleviation and climate-related migration is creating a new picture for food security. From a modern/global consumer perspective the role of social media in creating awareness and behavioural change towards sustainable and healthier diets has been under-studied. Consumers have been creating a demand for foods that are healthy and sustainable, hence a 20 billion US dollars plant-based foods market (foreseen by 2020) is booming.

We welcome contributions addressing the following topics:

1. Sustainable nutrition and evaluation of environmental footprint of different dietary patterns (meta analyses, systematic reviews or original research papers).
2. Alternative/Innovative and sustainable food systems contributing to food security (including public health, nutrition aspects).
3. Behavioural interventions measuring the effect of making sustainable and healthy choices the easier for average consumers (original research papers).
4. How changes in the food chain can contribute to sustainable food consumption.
5. The role of social media in encouraging the adoption of sustainable diets (vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian).
6. Consumer studies based on questionnaires or on qualitative data explaining the rapid shift towards plant-based foods and adoption of related lifestyles (e.g. veganism).
7. Economics of sustainable food consumption

Dr. Armando Perez-Cueto
Dr. Hans De Steur
Guest Editors

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