Evaluation of the Climate Impact and Nutritional Quality of Menus in an Italian Long-Term Care Facility

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 16; no. 17; p. 2815
• Main Authors: Conti, Andrea, Opizzi, Annalisa, Binala, Jefferson Galapon, Cortese, Loredana, Barone-Adesi, Francesco, Panella, Massimiliano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.08.2024
• Subjects: Carbon; carbon footprint; Carbon Footprint - statistics & numerical data; Climate Change; Diet; Diet, Healthy - statistics & numerical data; Emissions; Environmental health; Environmental impact; Estimates; Food service; Food Services - standards; Global warming; Greenhouse gases; healthcare foodservice; Humans; Italy; Long term health care; Long-Term Care; Monte Carlo Method; nursing home; Nursing Homes; Nutrition research; Nutritive Value; planetary health diet; Seasons; Sustainability; Italy; United States > US; nursing home; carbon footprint; healthcare foodservice; planetary health diet
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16172815

Global warming poses a significant threat to our planet, with the food sector contributing up to 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to assess the climate change impact and healthiness of menus in a long-term care facility in Italy. We analyzed two 28-day cyclical menus using the carbon footprint (CF) and the Modified EAT-Lancet Diet Score (MELDS) to evaluate adherence to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). Monte Carlo simulations were employed to explore 20,000 daily menu permutations. Results showed that the mean GHGEs of spring/summer and autumn/winter daily menus were 2.64 and 2.82 kg of CO eq, respectively, with 99% of menus exceeding the 2.03 kg of CO eq benchmark. Only 22% of menus were adherent to the PHD, with MELDSs ranging from 12 to 29. A strong inverse association between the CF and adherence to the PHD was observed. These findings suggest significant potential for reducing the CFs of meals served in nursing homes while promoting adherence to a planetary diet, presenting an opportunity to set new standards in caregiving and environmental sustainability.