Climate Change and Food Systems: Exploring the Nexus of Diet Quality, Nutrition and Health: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The profound interplay between climate change, food systems, diet quality and human health outcomes is a critical concern of our time. This narrative review delves into the multifaceted repercussions of climate change on global food systems, and their cascading effects on food security, dietary diversity and nutritional well-being. Climate change exerts its influence on food systems across various dimensions, encompassing alterations in soil fertility, crop yields, nutrient profiles of foods, pest resilience, and the risk of malnutrition. The imperative of fostering sustainable and resilient food systems, in conjunction with climate-smart agricultural practices, is emphasized as the pathway to ensure diets that are both ecologically sound and nutritionally robust. As we explore this intricate interplay, it becomes evident that robust tools and indicators are urgently needed to assess the reciprocal interaction between food systems and climate change, exacerbated by pandemics, and to elucidate their impact on human health. Unsustainable food systems characterized by mass monoculture farming, excessive fertilizer use, intensive livestock production, and deforestation contribute to elevated greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. This review contemplates the prospects of mitigating environmental footprints associated with food systems by embracing more sustainable dietary patterns that concurrently fulfil nutritional requirements and safeguard the environment. Strategies such as dietary diversification, fortification, biofortification, and the integration of alternative protein sources are explored as alternative options. Cross-cutting issues like gender, urbanization and food wastage, as well as potential health consequences of interventions targeting micronutrient deficiencies, warrant thorough assessment. In essence, this review underscores the urgency of developing robust tools and indicators to comprehensively evaluate the complex interactions between climate change, food systems, and their impact on diet and nutrition outcomes.