Exploring attitudes perceptions health status and dietary practices of Indian adults to develop sustainable diet pattern with lower environmental footprints

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to assess attitudes and perceptions of Indian adults about sustainable diets, newlineto evaluate the association of attitudes and perceptions with health status, dietary practices, and environmental footprints, newlineand to develop a sustainable diet pattern with lower environmental footprints. A valid and reliable Sustainable Diet newlineQuestionnaire was developed with 17 dimensions having 19 items and 172 subitems. About 57.00 % of the respondents newlineare overweight or obese, with the average basal metabolic rate (BMR) and total energy expenditure (TEE) of 1440 ± 276 newlinekcal/day and 2582 ± 687 kcal/day, respectively. The self-reported prevalence of diabetes, prehypertension, and newlinehypertension were 3.50-5.30 %, 21.00 %, and 5.10 %, respectively. About 80.30 % of the respondents are moderately newlinestressed, and 59.30 % reported moderate physical activity levels. Respondents identified livestock and agriculture as the newlineleast contributing sectors to climate change, with a limited understanding of green water-blue water. About 60.30 % of newlinethe respondents understood the term sustainable diets and were unaware of the climatic impacts of fish and seafood and newlinemilk anddairy products. Respondents perceived that more water is used while producing plant foods than animal foods and newlinerecognized planting trees as the most effective and eating a smaller amount of food as the least effective action to save newlinethe environment. Indian adults endorsed a pro-ecological attitude with a mean score of 3.45 ± 0.43. Ecologically newlineconscious, Conscious anthropocentric, and Ecologically sensitive were three segments with a distinct ecological newlineworldview. Respondents were most concerned about the non-biodegradable plastic packaging used for food products, newlineand health was the most important motive in their food choices. The most frequent sustainable food practice was buying newlineseasonal fruits and vegetables, and reducing meat or chicken intake was the least frequent practice. A good meal was newlineessential for respondents. Sustainable diets are more strongly associated with the attribute beneficialand#8223; and least newlineassociated with affordability. About 36.90 % reported difficulty judging climate-friendly foods, and 34.70 % were newlineready to pay for sustainable foods. Lack of clear labeling was reported as the most relevant barrier, and health was newlinereported as the most important driver to making sustainable food choices, with 53.50 % of the respondents intending to newlinemake sustainable food choices in the future. newlineThe total cereals and millet intake was 218 g/day, less than the recommended intake (270 g/day). Intake levels newlineof iron, zinc, riboflavin and vitamin D were lower than the RDA. Meat and fish (22.40 kgCO2-eq/kg) have highest and newlinefruits (0.27 kgCO2-eq/kg) have lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Food group otherand#8223; has the highest green newline(15.72 m3/kg) and blue water footprints (WFs) (3.69 m3/kg). Roots and tubers have the lowest green (0.32 m3/kg) and newlineblue WFs (0.03 m3/kg). The land use footprint of fats and oils was highest (23.07 m2/kg), and roots and tubers were lowest newline(0.62 m2/kg). Mean dietary GHG emissions were 4.42 kgCO2-eq/day, with the highest contribution from dairy. The newlinedietary green and blue WFs were 3.94 and 0.84 m3/day, respectively, with the highest contribution from processed foods. newlineThe dietary land use footprint was 9 m2/day, with the highest contribution from fats and oils. Knowledge of sustainability newlineconcepts was positively associated with BMR, TEE, and physical activity. Ecological worldview was negatively newlineassociated with perceived stress. Dietary environmental footprints were negatively associated with the convenience newlinemotive. The weight control motive was positively associated with BMI, blood pressure, and perceived stress, with lower newlinedietary blue WF. Higher physical activity was reported among respondents giving importance to health motives. GHG newlineemissions and land use footprint were negatively associated with ecological welfare motives. Dietary GHG emissions, newlinegreen WF, and land use footprint were positively associated with BMI, BMR, TEE, and blood pressure. Three dietary newlinepatterns were identified: snacks-sweets,and#8223; animal-food,and#8223; and fruit-veg-nuts-milk.and#8223; The snacks-sweetsand#8223; pattern was newlinenegatively associated with four dietary environmental footprints. The animal-foodand#8223; and fruit-veg-nuts-milkand#8223; patterns newlinewere associated with higher dietary environmental footprints. ICMR-NIN My Plate for the Dayand#8223; has GHG emissions of newline3.11 kgCO2-eq/d, green WFs of 2.30 m3/day, blue WFs of 0.45 m3/day, and a land use footprint of 5.06 m2/day. The newlinediets of the current sample have higher environmental footprints than the Plate. A sustainable diet pattern was developed newlinewith 25.00 % lower GHG emissions and 36.00 % lower green WF, blue WF, and land use footprint. newline