Food has a bigger impact on the environment than heating and transport. This is why the Barilla Center Foundation for Food & Nutrition reiterates the importance of a sustainable diet to ensure human health and the safeguard of the planet. In fact, with 31%, food is the main contributor to climate change, while heating and transport account respectively for 3.6% and 18.5%. In particular, meat consumption accounts for 12% of total emissions, while dairy products for 5%. This is the scenario depicted by Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, which yesterday presented the second edition of “Eating Planet: Food and sustainability: building our future.”
MORE COMMITMENT FROM THE INSTITUTIONS – Luca Virginio, Vice President of the BCFN Foundation, told Food that, “The public has recently become more sensitive about and aware of issues relating to sustainability, food waste, and balanced diets that have a low environmental impact. The commitment on the part of public and private leading institutions necessary to deal with the great paradoxes of the food system with concrete plans is still insufficient.” The fact is that three key question still remain unanswered: Will we die of hunger or obesity? Do we feed people, animals, or cars? Do we waste food or feed the hungry?
THE NEWS IN THE SECOND EDITION – The new edition of the volume presents an update of the double food pyramid. This model supports the Mediterranean diet and its benefits to human health and the environment by providing practical information on the nutritional needs of children and the elderly.
THE DOUBLE PYRAMID – “Ten years ago,” continues Virginio, “Barilla started a food education project aimed at children in primary schools in the territory of Parma. It has led to the reduction in the rate of obesity; from 8 to 6%.”