Diets cannot be sustainable without ensuring the well-being of communities, workers and animals in food value chains

Tichenor Blackstone, Nicole; Battaglia, Kyra; Rodríguez-Huerta, Edgar; Bell, Brooke M.; Decker Sparks, Jessica L.; Cash, Sean B.; Conrad, Zach; Nikkhah, Amin; Jackson, Bethany; Matteson, Julia; Gao, Shijun; Fuller, Kathy; Zhang, Fang Fang; Webb, Patrick

Abstract

The social dimension of sustainable diets, which addresses the impacts of food value chains on people, animals and communities, is under-represented in the food systems field. We present a definition of the social dimension of sustainable diets, clarify its boundaries and propose corresponding outcomes. Three case studies highlight the connectivity of social outcomes with the health, environment and economic dimensions of sustainable diets. The continued development of social metrics, data and methods and the implementation of integrated solutions co-developed with affected communities are needed to transform systems and structures that perpetuate unjust and inequitable food systems outcomes.

Citation

Tichenor Blackstone, N., Battaglia, K., Rodríguez-Huerta, E., Bell, B. M., Decker Sparks, J. L., Cash, S. B., Conrad, Z., Nikkhah, A., Jackson, B., Matteson, J., Gao, S., Fuller, K., Zhang, F. F., & Webb, P. (2024). Diets cannot be sustainable without ensuring the well-being of communities, workers and animals in food value chains. Nature Food, 5(10), 818–824. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-01048-0

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Aug 29, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 11, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-10
• Deposit Date: Oct 16, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 12, 2025
• Journal: Nature Food
• Electronic ISSN: 2662-1355
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 818–824
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-01048-0
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/40581632
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-024-01048-0