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Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 16847

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Libby Swanepoel

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Guest Editor

School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Interests: food security; maternal and infant nutrition; food supply and food choice
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Ms. Jessica E. Raneri

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Guest Editor

1. Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Advisor to both the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Agricultural Development and Food Security Section, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2617 Canberra, Australia
2. Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Interests: participatory action research, whole-of-diet approaches, evidence-based policy and effective communication, global public health and development

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Traditional food systems identifies food from the local natural environment that are culturally acceptable. Nutrition transition, resulting from globalisation, economic development and modernised food governance systems, impacting food security, food sovereignty and sustainable development. Traditional food systems of indigenous peoples and those from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) share similar environmental, socioeconomic and nutritional vulnerabilities and are recognised as a special case for sustainable development. Traditional food systems have undergone profound transitions in recent decades that have led to deteriorations in diet quality, nutrition, health and socio-cultural traditions. Food systems have seen a shift away from traditional, local food towards an increasing reliance on imported and ultraprocessed foods that contribute to diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Complex combinations of personal, social, economic and environmental factors influence food production, consumption and subsequent human health and wellbeing outcomes in SIDS.

Indigenous peoples and small island states are subjected to global challenges resulting from climate change, land-use change, pandemics and political shifts, all which impact nutrition transitions and eating behaviours. Improved health and wellbeing rely upon strengthening enabling environments and improving the sustainability and resilience of traditional food systems to empower people and communities. In this Special Issue, we additionally hope to capture research addressing equity, food traditions and food sovereignty, and the influence these have on human health and wellbeing in SIDS.

This Special Issue aims to produce a collective picture of the drivers and impact of eating behaviours on human health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples and those from SIDS. This Special Issue will include research across multiple levels, including consumer and nutrition outcomes, health implications, food and nutrition security, food sovereignty, and agricultural and food producer livelihoods. Additionally, we want to identify areas of priority for research and interventions.

Dr. Libby Swanepoel
Ms. Jessica E. Raneri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

food systems
food sovereignty
nutrition transitions
sustainable consumption
Pacific Islands
Caribbean region
public health
noncommunicable disease
food environments

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 3274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Supporting Sustainable Development by Identifying Ways to Enhance and Conserve Local Food Wisdom, Loei Province, Thailand

by Supannee Pruksa, Suwaree Sripoona, Suwalee Lowirakorn, Suradech Chaitokkia and Carol Hutchinson

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 6978; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14126978 - 7 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2876

Abstract

Traditional diets are generally nutrient-rich and utilise locally available resources. Strategies to help conserve local food wisdom and increase its value could facilitate a reduction in the burden of all forms of malnutrition and achieve global goals. Our objectives were to: (1) investigate the variety of local foods and food preparation methods in Loei province, Thailand; (2) investigate ways of increasing the nutritional, social, and economic value of local food in this province; and (3) construct a local food database to catalogue and conserve the local food wisdom. Nine out of fourteen districts in Loei province were purposively selected. All were designated key sustainable tourist destinations and represented a range of terrains. There were 423 interview participants, representing all villages in one subdistrict of each of the nine selected districts. We also conducted nine focus group discussions with a total of 90 participants. Data were analysed and categorised, based on the content analysis technique, and we created an online database of the catalogued recipes. There were 240 dishes, placed into seven categories of recipe type. Many of the characteristics of the local dishes from Loei province today remain closely connected to the history of this part of Thailand. We identified that the value of local foods could be improved by investing in technology used for home preservation, actively engaging younger generations to improve the transfer of local food wisdom, investment in technology to utilise local biodegradable materials, and tourist activities based around local food heritage. Future work will involve further development of the local food database, and research to evaluate the application of the database. Moreover, this research can serve as a model for retaining and valuing local food wisdom elsewhere, to promote food security, combat malnutrition, and benefit the local economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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23 pages, 3096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unravelling the Paradoxical Seasonal Food Scarcity in a Peasant Microregion of Mexico

by Tlacaelel Rivera-Núñez, Luis García-Barrios, Mariana Benítez, Julieta A. Rosell, Rodrigo García-Herrera and Erin Estrada-Lugo

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116751 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1941

Abstract

Seasonal food scarcity during pre-harvest months is, widely, considered to be the principal manifestation of food insecurity, for some 600 million members of smallholder families, who rely on a variety of coping strategies. This paper analyses both the peasant-economy variables that explain the presence and intensity of seasonal food scarcity, and the coping strategies of 120 rural households in a microregion of southern Mexico. We, also, examine how supply networks for six archetypical foods of the peasant diet express robustness or vulnerability during seasons of abundance and scarcity. The method combines surveys, ethnographic fieldwork, statistical models and social network analyses. Results show that 74% of households experience at least one month of food scarcity annually, and 34% of shortages last more than six months. In total, 29% of affected households gather wild foods, and 14% use intense coping strategies, such as international migration, taking out rural loans, and parental food buffering. During scarce seasons, self-sufficiency networks for maize and beans contract, but still maintain the food supply of peasant households, while cash-consumption networks such as those of beef become accessible only to a small sector of economically differentiated households. In contrast to the vast majority of research, which simply reports the presence of seasonal food shortages and describes the coping strategies of rural households, this paper provides an in-depth analysis—based upon a novel methodological integration—of the socioeconomic, agrifood, and land tenure conditions that may determine why many peasant territories in the Global South face the “farmer–food-scarcity paradox”. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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13 pages, 1051 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Traditional Knowledge and Modern Motivations for Consuming Seaweed (Limu) in Samoa

by Ulusapeti Tiitii, Nicholas Paul, Sarah Burkhart, Silva Larson and Libby Swanepoel

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6212; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106212 - 20 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3010

Abstract

Seaweeds are a traditional food throughout the Pacific. In Samoa, the edible seaweeds limu fuafua (sea grapes, Caulerpa racemosa and C. chemnitzia) and limu a’au (red seaweed, Halymenia durvillei and Halymenia sp.) are hand-harvested and consumed fresh or cooked, respectively. However, there is limited scientific or traditional documentation of these commodities. Here, we assess the traditional use and cultural value of edible seaweeds and explore modern consumer preferences and perceived nutritional benefits. Structured enumerator-administered questionnaires were used to examine the relationship between consumption and demographics and subsequently to assess the key motivators for consumption, including perceived nutritional benefits. A total of 320 participants were surveyed across 20 village communities, with 95% reporting consumption of Caulerpa and 40% of Halymenia. Consumption was primarily on a weekly to monthly basis, and even once a day. Motivators and barriers for consumption were then assessed in 320 village participants with an additional 203 intercept interviews at fish markets. A content analysis of the open-ended questions revealed the key motivators for eating limu were health and taste (positive), whereas the key barriers were taste (negative) and availability. We identify opportunities to develop a nutrient evidence base for Samoan seaweeds to aid in marketing, especially for youth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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20 pages, 1547 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pathways to Improving Nutrition among Upland Farmers through Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Interventions: A Case from Northern Laos

by Indu K. Sharma, Dirk Essink, Victoria Fumado, Ranjan Shrestha, Zefanya D. Susanto and Jacqueline E. W. Broerse

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13414; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313414 - 3 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2027

Abstract

While there is an increased awareness of the role of nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions on nutrition, the studies that investigate holistic pathways from interventions to nutrition outcomes are inadequate. We aimed to understand these pathways to improved nutrition from the Enhancing Nutrition of Upland Farming Families (ENUFF) Project implemented in northern Laos. We applied an embedded case study design by recruiting 101 participants representing implementers, school and private sector representatives, and beneficiaries, of which 34 participated in interviews and 68 participated in 11 FGDs. This was supplemented by a desk review of project documents. We analyzed the data using a directed content analysis across five pathways using a published framework on impact pathways from NSA interventions to nutrition outcomes. The project contributed to nutrition mainly through three core pathways-food production, nutrition and WASH-related knowledge, and agricultural income, supported by strengthening local institutions within the project’s scope. While it is evident that the project contributed to empowering women by saving their time and increasing income, further study is needed to investigate the translation of these aspects to nutrition-related practices. We also suggest the need to sustain the capacity of local institutions and their engagement beyond the project cycle. To enhance the effectiveness of NSA interventions on nutrition, there is a need to design and implement intervention package with multiple pathways and tailored strategies based on nutrition outcomes, the envisaged pathways, geographical context, and factors affecting these. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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20 pages, 1185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Influences the Implementation and Sustainability of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Interventions? A Case Study from Southern Bangladesh

by Indu K. Sharma, Dirk Essink, Victoria Fumado, Malay Kanti Mridha, Lalita Bhattacharjee and Jacqueline E. W. Broerse

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12049; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112049 - 31 Oct 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2772

Abstract

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) provides a promising pathway for addressing malnutrition. Fulfilling this promise needs a better understanding of the implementation and sustainability of NSA interventions because of their highly complex nature. This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the implementation and sustainability of NSA interventions. A case study design was employed using two focus group discussions with beneficiaries (n = 15), semi-structured interviews with beneficiaries (n = 13), and actors involved in implementation (n = 18). Factors were thematically analyzed using both deductive and inductive approaches adapting the consolidated framework for implementation research. A complex interaction of the factors across the five domains was found: outer setting—nutrition sensitivity of policies, institutional framework; inner setting—culture, social and economic environment, biophysical environment, local capacity, other programs or projects; characteristics of actors—beneficiaries, family members, household capacity, implementers; intervention characteristics—adaptability, design quality, cost of interventions; and, implementation process—fit-to-context, integration and multisectoral collaboration, continuous motivation through engagement, monitoring. Implementing and sustaining NSA needs consideration of multiple factors, with careful analysis of the absorptive capacities of local institutions and beneficiary households. Future studies should explore which mechanisms created for adoption can be continued beyond the project funding cycle, and how. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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22 pages, 1793 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Market Foods, Own Production, and the Social Economy: How Food Acquisition Sources Influence Nutrient Intake among Ecuadorian Farmers and the Role of Agroecology in Supporting Healthy Diets

by Ana Deaconu, Peter R. Berti, Donald C. Cole, Geneviève Mercille and Malek Batal

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4410; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084410 - 15 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2713

Abstract

Rural Ecuadorians are experiencing a double burden of malnutrition, characterized by simultaneous nutrient inadequacies and excesses, alongside the social and environmental consequences of unsustainable agriculture. Agriculture can support farmer nutrition by providing income for market purchases and through the consumption of foods from own production. However, the nutritional contributions of these food acquisition strategies vary by context. We surveyed smallholder women farmers (n = 90) in Imbabura province to assess the dietary contributions of foods obtained through market purchase, own production, and social economy among farmers participating in agroecology—a sustainable farming movement—and neighboring reference farmers. We found that foods from farmers’ own production and the social economy were relatively nutrient-rich, while market foods were calorie-rich. Consumption of foods from own production was associated with better nutrient adequacy and moderation, whereas market food consumption was associated with a worse performance on both. Food acquisition patterns differed between farmer groups: agroecological farmers obtained 44%, 32%, and 23% of their calories from conventional markets, own production, and the social economy, respectively, while reference neighbors obtained 69%, 17%, and 13%, respectively. Our findings suggest that, in this region, farmer nutrition is better supported through the consumption of their own production than through market purchases, and sustainable farming initiatives such as agroecology may be leveraged for healthy diets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Human Health and Wellbeing in Traditional Food Systems)

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