Sustainable Food Sustainable Food Systems:Systems:

An International An International PerspectivePerspectiveNoel Chavez, PhD, RD, LDNNoel Chavez, PhD, RD, LDN

Community Health Sciences Community Health Sciences DivisionDivision

UIC School of Public HealthUIC School of Public Health

Role of History in Current Role of History in Current Food SystemFood System

GlobalizationGlobalization

Agriculture-food systems changes

Changes in food quantity, type, cost and desirability

Changes in food access and availabilitythrough changes in food production,

procurement & distribution

Changes in food culture

Changes in dietary patterns& nutritional status varying by

socioeconomic statusHawkes, 2006

Globalization Globalization

• Trade liberalizationTrade liberalization– Reduced tariffsReduced tariffs– Import quotasImport quotas– Export incentives Export incentives – Price supports/subsidiesPrice supports/subsidies

• Free trade agreementsFree trade agreements• Foreign direct investment (FDI)Foreign direct investment (FDI)• Marketing and advertisingMarketing and advertising• Greater integration of products, production Greater integration of products, production

and marketsand markets

Potential Sustainable Food System Potential Sustainable Food System EffectsEffects

• Can lead to more mono-cultures of particular Can lead to more mono-cultures of particular crops such as corn crops such as corn – Reduce biodiversityReduce biodiversity– Impact on local farmersImpact on local farmers

• Raising of cash crops rather than feeding Raising of cash crops rather than feeding families and community and loss of local families and community and loss of local habitat, soil, etc.habitat, soil, etc.

• There tend to be greater advantages of free There tend to be greater advantages of free trade and globalization for industrialized trade and globalization for industrialized countries than for developing countriescountries than for developing countries

• Role of finite quantity of renewable and non-Role of finite quantity of renewable and non-renewable resourcesrenewable resources

Potential Sustainable Food System Potential Sustainable Food System EffectsEffects

• Increased imports – developed and less Increased imports – developed and less developed countriesdeveloped countries

• Short vs. long food chains-traditional food Short vs. long food chains-traditional food chains typically short--we are trying to re-chains typically short--we are trying to re-gain some of this, but less developed gain some of this, but less developed countries are losing the local, seasonal countries are losing the local, seasonal aspects of their food chain-increased use of aspects of their food chain-increased use of ‘value added’ processed foods‘value added’ processed foods

• Far more food company sales from FDI in Far more food company sales from FDI in less developed countries than from exports less developed countries than from exports – about 5 times more– about 5 times more

• Foreign Direct Investment has led to global Foreign Direct Investment has led to global spread of supermarketsspread of supermarkets

Impact of Market Integration on Impact of Market Integration on Dietary PatternsDietary Patterns

Three processes:1. The production and exchange of goods

through agricultural production and trade;

2. The flow of investment across borders through foreign direct investment in food processing and retailing, and

3. The global communication of ‘information’ in the form of promotional food marketing.

Hawkes, 2006

Globalization Process of Food Globalization Process of Food MarketingMarketing

• The globalization of transnational food The globalization of transnational food companies and the foods they promote.companies and the foods they promote.

• The globalization of advertising and The globalization of advertising and marketing companies so that there are marketing companies so that there are just a few large ones.just a few large ones.

• The globalization of communication The globalization of communication technologies-advertising on mobile technologies-advertising on mobile phones, email ads, etc.phones, email ads, etc.

Success of Walmart (Walmex) in Success of Walmart (Walmex) in MexicoMexico

• Walmex is the largest retailer, with 420 supermarkets Walmex is the largest retailer, with 420 supermarkets and discount stores, 290 restaurants in 79 citiesand discount stores, 290 restaurants in 79 cities

• Walmex sells food and general merchandise (general Walmex sells food and general merchandise (general merchandise accounts for more total sales in dollars).merchandise accounts for more total sales in dollars).

• There were 663 million consumer transactions in 2004.There were 663 million consumer transactions in 2004.• Walmex continues to grow, in 2004 investing $625 Walmex continues to grow, in 2004 investing $625

million to open 77 new stores.million to open 77 new stores.• The company employs more people than any other The company employs more people than any other

company in Mexico (n > 109,000).company in Mexico (n > 109,000).• Walmex’s success has seriously challenged Mexico’s Walmex’s success has seriously challenged Mexico’s

three other supermarket chains, and contributed to the three other supermarket chains, and contributed to the French Carrefour chain to withdraw from Mexico in French Carrefour chain to withdraw from Mexico in 2005. 2005.

Shift in dietary and activity patterns Shift in dietary and activity patterns along with body composition as along with body composition as groups move from a Receding groups move from a Receding Famine pattern to one with Famine pattern to one with predominantly Nutrition Related predominantly Nutrition Related Chronic DiseasesChronic Diseases

Nutrition TransitionNutrition Transition

Nutrition TransitionNutrition Transition

Nutrition-relatedchronic diseases

Overweight &obesity

Micronutrientdeficiencies

• About 60% of all deaths worldwide are About 60% of all deaths worldwide are due to chronic diseasesdue to chronic diseases

• Documented increases in nutrition Documented increases in nutrition related chronic diseases particularly in related chronic diseases particularly in developing worlddeveloping world

• Increases are occurring much more Increases are occurring much more rapidly than they did in industrialized rapidly than they did in industrialized countriescountries

• Within developing countries, the poor Within developing countries, the poor are at greatest riskare at greatest risk

Where are we currently?Where are we currently?

Food environmentTrade agreementsFood production,processing &distributionAdvertisingPrice

Natural and Built EnvironmentUrban designLand useTransport modePublic facilitiesMarket access

Social environmentFinancial capacityLiving conditionsWorking conditionsTransport accessSocial supportSocial cohesionEating habitsSocial norms

Sociopolitical, sociocultural, socioeconomic, socioenvironmental contexts(natural resources, norms & values, governance, policies, supporting systems)

Social stratificationIncome, education

occupation, agegender

Differentialexposure &

vulnerability

Individual level factorsFood consumption, nutrient intake, energy expenditure,

biological and psychological factors

Inequalities in obesity ratesFriel, 2007

The relationship between agricultural policies and production practices and diet Hawkes, 2007

Agricultural Policy:Input, production & trade

Agricultural ProductionPractices: Plant/animal breeding, crop fertilization, livestockfeeding

Technological Innovation

Consumer Food Choices

Diet

Agricultural Choices Madeby Producers

Agricultural Production

Agricultural Markets

Nutrition-RelatedChronic Diseases

Agricultural Food Outputs:Food availability, price &nutrient quality

Policymakers need to ask the following three particularly pertinent questions:

1. Are agricultural policies and production practices

contributing to—or detracting from—efforts to attain dietary goals?

2. Where and how could agricultural interventions

help achieve dietary goals?3. Are there trade-offs between agricultural

interventions for tackling diet-related chronic disease and other important concerns?Hawkes, 2007

“National food and agricultural policies should be consistent with the protection and promotion of public health. Governments should be encouraged to examine food and agricultural policies for potential health effects on the food supply…. Agricultural policy and production often have a great effect on national diets. Governments can influence agricultural production through many policy measures. As emphasis on health increases and consumption patterns change, Member States need to take healthy nutrition into account in their agricultural policies”

WHO, Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, 2004

What Is Our Role in Globalization What Is Our Role in Globalization and Sustainable Food Systems?and Sustainable Food Systems?