The environmental foodprint of obesity
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The environmental foodprint of obesity. / Magkos, Faidon; Tetens, Inge; Bügel, Susanne Gjedsted; Felby, Claus; Schacht, Simon Rønnow; Hill, James O; Ravussin, Eric; Astrup, Arne.
In: Obesity, Vol. 28, No. 1, 2020, p. 73-79.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The environmental foodprint of obesity
AU - Magkos, Faidon
AU - Tetens, Inge
AU - Bügel, Susanne Gjedsted
AU - Felby, Claus
AU - Schacht, Simon Rønnow
AU - Hill, James O
AU - Ravussin, Eric
AU - Astrup, Arne
N1 - © 2019 The Obesity Society.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) are linked to global warming and adverse climate changes. Meeting the needs of the increasing number of people on the planet presents a challenge for reducing total GHG burden. A further challenge may be the size of the average person on the planet and the increasing number of people with excess body weight. We used data on GHG emissions from various sources and estimated that obesity is associated with ~20% greater GHG emissions compared with the normal-weight state. On a global scale, obesity contributes to an extra GHG emissions of ~49 megatons per year of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) from oxidative metabolism due to greater metabolic demands, ~361 megatons per year of CO2eq from food production processes due to increased food intake, and ~290 megatons per year of CO2eq from automobile and air transportation due to greater body weight. Therefore, the total impact of obesity may be extra emissions of ~700 megatons per year of CO2eq, which is about 1.6% of worldwide GHG emissions. Inasmuch as obesity is an important contributor to global GHG burden, strategies to reduce its prevalence should prioritize efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Accordingly, reducing obesity may have considerable benefits for both public health and the environment.
AB - Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) are linked to global warming and adverse climate changes. Meeting the needs of the increasing number of people on the planet presents a challenge for reducing total GHG burden. A further challenge may be the size of the average person on the planet and the increasing number of people with excess body weight. We used data on GHG emissions from various sources and estimated that obesity is associated with ~20% greater GHG emissions compared with the normal-weight state. On a global scale, obesity contributes to an extra GHG emissions of ~49 megatons per year of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) from oxidative metabolism due to greater metabolic demands, ~361 megatons per year of CO2eq from food production processes due to increased food intake, and ~290 megatons per year of CO2eq from automobile and air transportation due to greater body weight. Therefore, the total impact of obesity may be extra emissions of ~700 megatons per year of CO2eq, which is about 1.6% of worldwide GHG emissions. Inasmuch as obesity is an important contributor to global GHG burden, strategies to reduce its prevalence should prioritize efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Accordingly, reducing obesity may have considerable benefits for both public health and the environment.
U2 - 10.1002/oby.22657
DO - 10.1002/oby.22657
M3 - Review
C2 - 31858737
VL - 28
SP - 73
EP - 79
JO - Obesity
JF - Obesity
SN - 1930-7381
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 237652925