TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of the Climate Impact and Nutritional Quality of Menus in an Italian Long-Term Care Facility
AU - Conti, Andrea
AU - Opizzi, Annalisa
AU - Binala, Jefferson Galapon
AU - Cortese, Loredana
AU - Barone-Adesi, Francesco
AU - Panella, Massimiliano
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/9
Y1 - 2024/9
N2 - Global warming poses a significant threat to our planet, with the food sector contributing up to 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to assess the climate change impact and healthiness of menus in a long-term care facility in Italy. We analyzed two 28-day cyclical menus using the carbon footprint (CF) and the Modified EAT-Lancet Diet Score (MELDS) to evaluate adherence to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). Monte Carlo simulations were employed to explore 20,000 daily menu permutations. Results showed that the mean GHGEs of spring/summer and autumn/winter daily menus were 2.64 and 2.82 kg of CO2eq, respectively, with 99% of menus exceeding the 2.03 kg of CO2eq benchmark. Only 22% of menus were adherent to the PHD, with MELDSs ranging from 12 to 29. A strong inverse association between the CF and adherence to the PHD was observed. These findings suggest significant potential for reducing the CFs of meals served in nursing homes while promoting adherence to a planetary diet, presenting an opportunity to set new standards in caregiving and environmental sustainability.
AB - Global warming poses a significant threat to our planet, with the food sector contributing up to 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to assess the climate change impact and healthiness of menus in a long-term care facility in Italy. We analyzed two 28-day cyclical menus using the carbon footprint (CF) and the Modified EAT-Lancet Diet Score (MELDS) to evaluate adherence to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). Monte Carlo simulations were employed to explore 20,000 daily menu permutations. Results showed that the mean GHGEs of spring/summer and autumn/winter daily menus were 2.64 and 2.82 kg of CO2eq, respectively, with 99% of menus exceeding the 2.03 kg of CO2eq benchmark. Only 22% of menus were adherent to the PHD, with MELDSs ranging from 12 to 29. A strong inverse association between the CF and adherence to the PHD was observed. These findings suggest significant potential for reducing the CFs of meals served in nursing homes while promoting adherence to a planetary diet, presenting an opportunity to set new standards in caregiving and environmental sustainability.
KW - carbon footprint
KW - healthcare foodservice
KW - nursing home
KW - planetary health diet
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85203640081&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/nu16172815
DO - 10.3390/nu16172815
M3 - Article
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 16
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 17
M1 - 2815
ER -
