Sponsored By: Herbalife Nutrition 

This program was originally presented as part of NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE.

Sustainable agriculture enables us to produce healthful foods without compromising future generations’ ability to do the same. Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are healthful to our environment and our bodies. According to the 2019 EAT-Lancet commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems, a global shift toward more plant-based foods would help feed the world’s growing population a nutritious and sustainable diet. This plant-based eating style includes more legumes (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts), whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and less animal-based foods, especially red meat and processed meat. Limiting refined grains and added sugars is part of this approach as well. However, plant-based diets including higher amounts of less healthy plant foods, such as refined grains, potatoes/fries, and foods and beverages high in added sugar, are linked to increased risks of obesity and age-related chronic diseases. A wide spectrum of plant-based diets can be nutritionally adequate and confer health benefits, as long as they are planned appropriately and include high-quality foods. These changes require ongoing attention to obtaining adequate high quality protein to maintain muscle mass and metabolism from plant-based sources. Within the Global Nutrition Transition, there are co-existing epidemics of malnutrition with nutrient deficiencies that often go undetected leading to the concept of Hidden Hunger due to suboptimal intake of some vitamins and minerals. Excess body fat in the upper body associated with a sedentary lifestyle leads to Hidden Obesity. At the same time, overweight and obesity with excess body fat can be associated with different sets of deficiencies and excesses. This program will examine the potential benefits of sustainable agriculture on both under nutrition and obesity, within the context of the Global Nutrition Transition.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the nature of sustainable agriculture and sustainable eating and the benefits of a plant-based diet on aging and age-related disease
• Outline the steps needed to promote sustainable agriculture and eating while research advances in both developing countries and industrialized nations identifying any shortfalls in the intakes of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients secondary to these efforts
• Describe potential challenges and opportunities for applying sustainable eating to the prevention and treatment of obesity and overweight