Can a sustainable mindset create healthier diets and a healthier planet?
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Studying at the University of Canberra, Master’s student Allison Wood’s research is asking the big questions and tackling even bigger issues—but that’s what makes her work so compelling.
Curious about where understanding and motivation for healthy and sustainable diets intersect for young adults she is opening up many discussions, including the low environmental impacts eating sustainability can have.
Growing up in a small country town, I personally saw first-hand the sombre fate farm animals faced. I knew their death was close as I stood at the local bakery happily eating my jam doughnut until I would suddenly smell the heavy air of a cattle truck as it swished past.
Through the gaps in the truck, I faced those desperate pleas, those big innocent eyes unaware of what lay ahead. I began watching documentaries on Netflix exposing what happened behind closed doors and the environmental impact of meat.
I felt my inner eco-warrior coming to life, and at the age of 18, I became a vegetarian.
But despite my five years of commitment to a more environmentally friendly way of eating, the world continues to face the reality of the hurtling trajectory of climate change. My low iron count and weakened optimism have forced me to question if a sustainable diet has lured me into a false sense of security. Whether I choose to eat meat or not, the emissions are ominously still there.
But perhaps, it’s these feelings of doubt that sit at the heart of this crisis.
Challenging a collective mindset about sustainability and health is a Herculean task, but for Allison it isn’t something she is afraid to confront.
Her research sits on the horizon of two significant crises we, as a society, face—poor diets and health amongst young adults, and climate change. Our youth are challenged to bear the weight of these unprecedented times and the ever-growing challenges facing their future.
“Malnutrition in all its forms—whether it be under or over nutrition—is one of our most pressing public health crises. I am focusing on young adults between age 18 and 30 because so many of them have poor diets and are also becoming a cohort with the greatest obesity level,” explains Allison.
But without mutual exclusivity, Allison has begun the journey of understanding how a sustainable mindset toward food could create health benefits—particularly for young adults. Is it possible that by changing the conversations surrounding health and placing sustainability at the forefront, we may be able to tackle both crises at once?
“What the literature is saying more and more is that a sustainable diet is a healthy diet. But our focus as nutritionists and scientists has traditionally been on the science of health, and educating people about nutrition and what a healthy diet looks like, with sustainability coming as a bit of an afterthought.
She suggests that now is the time to focus on the environment and the health of the planet and recognise that we’re all part of the system, rather than think of ourselves as separate.
“It is recognising that we are parts of an ecosystem and what we do impacts other parts of the system. And that, in turn, has an impact on us. It’s circular and interconnected – and nuanced by a person’s age, gender, childbearing or health and the types of local food that can be grown in different regions.”
But as living prices surge, it’s understandable that a young person may walk a line of apprehension and raise questions regarding the synonymous nature of a sustainable diet and privilege. It’s a concern Allison recognises and has navigated through her research, suggesting local seasonal produce is an affordable option.
“I guess it’s a sustainable budget situation from an individual’s perspective, but eating seasonally and buying locally is an environmentally sustainable practice that also means that your fruit and vegetables will cost less,” says Allison.
“It’s basically focusing on food that has a minimal environmental impact. Eating locally means you’re not shipping it from interstate or even internationally. You can have that kind of availability close by.”
“Here in Canberra we’re acutely aware of the importance of local food system resilience and sustainability. This is the focus of many local groups in the region, including the Future of Food in the Canberra Region initiative at the University of Canberra.”
Allison’s quest to better understand the layers within this relationship is ever-evolving and filled with curiosity and complexity, but her research is an optimistic milestone—it’s shining a light on a future where young people have the power and autonomy to make decisions that align with their values for a healthier future.
“Many young people are adopting a particular way of eating because they recognise the benefits not only for themselves…it’s about the planet, and animal welfare. I am interested in knowing more about how these choices overlap with healthy choices.”
If you would like to contribute to Allison’s research, follow the link to her questionnaire which focuses on whether those with a sustainable diet are also nutritionally healthy and identifying any gaps that could be filled through a sustainable mindset and the health of young adults.
Feature image via: facebook.com/CapitalRegionFarmersMarket
