Environmental sustainability of diets among children and adolescents in the German DONALD cohort study: Age and time trends, and nutrient adequacy.

BACKGROUND: Identifying diets beneficial for both human and planetary health has become increasingly important. However, to date, there is limited research on sustainable diets for children and adolescents, a vulnerable population group with specific nutritional needs.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed: to identify 1) the main determinants and 2) age and time trends of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), land use (LU), and water use (WU) of diets of children and adolescents, and 3) to analyze the associations of dietary GHGE, LU, and WU with nutrient adequacy.

METHODS: A total of 5,510 3-day-weighed dietary records (n=856; 6-17y; 48% ♀) of the DONALD (DOrtmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed) study between 2000-2021 were analyzed. Values of GHGE (kgCO2 eq), LU (m2 x year), and WU (L) determined by life cycle assessment were assigned to all recorded foods. For nutrient adequacy, the Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR = ∑(nutrient intake / recommended intake) / number of nutrients) was used. Data were analyzed using polynomial mixed-effects regression models.

RESULTS: The main contributors to GHGE and LU were meat products (GHGE: 25.6%; LU: 32.8%), dairy products (22.2%; 17.7%), and sweets and pastries (14.0%; 14.3%); to WU, non-alcoholic beverages (24.3%), meat products (18.9%), and vegetables and fruits (17.7%). GHGE, LU, and WU per 1000kcal increased with age (p<0.01). GHGE and LU per 1000kcal increased between 2000-2010 and decreased thereafter in females (p<0.01) and males (GHGE only: p=0.02). No significant time trend was found for WU (p>0.05). A higher MAR was directly associated with GHGE/1000kcal (MAR: ß=0.011, 95%CI: 0.008-0.013, p<0.0001), LU/1000kcal (MAR: ß=0.009, 0.005-0.013, p<0.0001) and WU/1000kcal (MAR: ß=0.429, 0.325-0.533, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore both the further need but also the capacity for change toward more environmentally sustainable diets. Yet, the trade-off between environmental sustainability and nutrient adequacy in diets of children and adolescents requires specific attention to dietary composition.