Cited by 360Food Waste Reduction and SustainabilityAgriculture Sustainability and Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact and Sustainability

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 49 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 55 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability

Open access

Abstract

Improving diet quality while simultaneously reducing environmental impact is a critical focus globally. Metrics linking diet quality and sustainability have typically focused on a limited suite of indicators, and have not included food waste. To address this important research gap, we examine the relationship between food waste, diet quality, nutrient waste, and multiple measures of sustainability: use of cropland, irrigation water, pesticides, and fertilizers. Data on food intake, food waste, and application rates of agricultural amendments were collected from diverse US government sources. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index-2015. A biophysical simulation model was used to estimate the amount of cropland associated with wasted food. This analysis finds that US consumers wasted 422g of food per person daily, with 30 million acres of cropland used to produce this food every year. This accounts for 30% of daily calories available for consumption, one-quarter of daily food (by weight) available for consumption, and 7% of annual cropland acreage. Higher quality diets were associated with greater amounts of food waste and greater amounts of wasted irrigation water and pesticides, but less cropland waste. This is largely due to fruits and vegetables, which are health-promoting and require small amounts of cropland, but require substantial amounts of agricultural inputs. These results suggest that simultaneous efforts to improve diet quality and reduce food waste are necessary. Increasing consumers' knowledge about how to prepare and store fruits and vegetables will be one of the practical solutions to reducing food waste.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

US consumers wasted 422 g of food per person daily from 2007–2014, with about 30 million acres of cropland used annually to produce that wasted food. Higher diet quality was associated with greater food waste and greater wasted irrigation water and pesticides, but less cropland waste.

Key findings

  • Daily per capita food waste was 421.5 g (95% CI: 409.1–433.9 g), representing nearly 26% of food by weight and over 800 kcal (795–840 kcal) per person per day, about 29% of total daily energy intake.
  • Wasted food was grown on 30.02 million acres (95% CI: 29.29–30.76 million acres), or 7.7% of harvested US cropland, and embodied 4.2 trillion gallons of irrigation water, 780 million pounds of pesticides, 1.8 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer, 1.5 billion pounds of phosphorus (P2O5) fertilizer, and 2.3 billion pounds of potash (K2O) fertilizer.
  • Higher diet quality was associated with greater food waste: mean waste rose from 295 g/day in HEI-2015 quintile 1 to 535 g/day in quintile 5 (P<0.001). Higher diet quality was also associated with less cropland waste (P=0.029) but greater wasted irrigation water and pesticides (P<0.001).
  • Fruits and vegetables and mixed fruit/vegetable dishes accounted for 39% of food waste; over 60% of land used to grow fruit and 56% of land used to grow vegetables was wasted.

Methods

  • Linked US government datasets: NHANES/WWEIA 2007–2014 dietary data from 35,507 individuals aged 2+ years, FCID for ingredient disaggregation, FPED for HEI-2015 components, and USDA LAFA for consumer-level food waste.
  • Diet quality was assessed with HEI-2015 and grouped into quintiles; food waste and agricultural resource use were estimated using the US Foodprint Model, a biophysical simulation model with a Monte Carlo simulation of 1,000 random non-replacement draws.
  • Relationships between food waste or sustainability measures and HEI-2015 quintiles were tested with simple linear regression for trend, adjusted for WWEIA’s complex sampling design; significance set at P<0.05.

Limitations

  • The paper states that food waste estimates included cooking losses, that LAFA waste rates may vary in ways not captured, that the model assumed all food consumed in the US was domestically grown, and that self-reported dietary data are subject to measurement error that may overestimate total food waste.
  • The paper also notes that the US agricultural sector is highly productive, so the approach may have underestimated cropland used to produce wasted food.
  • Evident from the design: the analysis is observational and cross-sectional, so the reported associations between diet quality and food waste or resource use cannot establish causality.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1371/journal.pone.0195405

Cites

49 of 49 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Figures

Fig 1 Data sources, compilation and output. LAFA, Loss-adjusted Food Availability data series; FCID, Food Commodity Intake Database; WWEIA, What We Eat In America 1Grains, dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, legumes, starchy vegetables, other vegetables. fruit, milk and yogurt, cheese and other dairy, soy milk, nuts, tofu, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, plant oils, dairy fats, lard and tallow, and sweeteners. 2All dishes; meat and mixed meat dishes (beef and beef mixed dishes; pork and pork mixed dishes; poultry and poultry mixed dishes; seafood and seafood mixed dishes; meat sandwiches, burgers, sausages, and hotdogs; bacon; and other meat dishes) eggs and egg dishes; dairy (milk and cream, cheese); soup; grains and mixed grain dishes (bread; breakfast cereal; pancakes, waffles, and French toast; pastas and grain mixtures; pizza and calzones; and grain-based desserts); nuts and seeds; fruits and vegetables in mixed dishes (whole fruit and mixed fruit dishes; fruit/vegetable juice; dark green vegetables; yellow and orange vegetables; tomatoes and tomato mixtures; legumes; other vegetables); potatoes and potato mixed dishes; margarine, table oils, and salad dressings; salty snacks; Mexican dishes; other foods and dishes. 3Calories; total protein; total carbohydrates; added sugars; fiber; total and individual saturated fatty acids; total and individual monounsaturated fatty acids; total and individual saturated fatty acids; cholesterol; vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12 niacin, folate, choline, C, D, K, E); minerals (calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium); and total and individual carotenoids. 4All cropland, grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, sweeteners, feed grains and oilseeds, hay, and cropland pasture. 5Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. 6Sum of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Fig 1 Data sources, compilation and output. LAFA, Loss-adjusted Food Availability data series; FCID, Food Commodity Intake Database; WWEIA, What We Eat In America 1Grains, dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, legumes, starchy vegetables, other vegetables. fruit, milk and yogurt, cheese and other dairy, soy milk, nuts, tofu, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, plant oils, dairy fats, lard and tallow, and sweeteners. 2All dishes; meat and mixed meat dishes (beef and beef mixed dishes; pork and pork mixed dishes; poultry and poultry mixed dishes; seafood and seafood mixed dishes; meat sandwiches, burgers, sausages, and hotdogs; bacon; and other meat dishes) eggs and egg dishes; dairy (milk and cream, cheese); soup; grains and mixed grain dishes (bread; breakfast cereal; pancakes, waffles, and French toast; pastas and grain mixtures; pizza and calzones; and grain-based desserts); nuts and seeds; fruits and vegetables in mixed dishes (whole fruit and mixed fruit dishes; fruit/vegetable juice; dark green vegetables; yellow and orange vegetables; tomatoes and tomato mixtures; legumes; other vegetables); potatoes and potato mixed dishes; margarine, table oils, and salad dressings; salty snacks; Mexican dishes; other foods and dishes. 3Calories; total protein; total carbohydrates; added sugars; fiber; total and individual saturated fatty acids; total and individual monounsaturated fatty acids; total and individual saturated fatty acids; cholesterol; vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12 niacin, folate, choline, C, D, K, E); minerals (calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium); and total and individual carotenoids. 4All cropland, grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, sweeteners, feed grains and oilseeds, hay, and cropland pasture. 5Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. 6Sum of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.CC0 · PubMed Central
Fig 2 a) Percent of all harvested cropland wasted by category, and b) percent of each type of harvested cropland wasted. Total cropland wasted = 30.02 million acres (95% CI: 29.29–30.76 million acres), representing 7.7% (7.5–7.9%) of total harvested cropland.
Fig 2 a) Percent of all harvested cropland wasted by category, and b) percent of each type of harvested cropland wasted. Total cropland wasted = 30.02 million acres (95% CI: 29.29–30.76 million acres), representing 7.7% (7.5–7.9%) of total harvested cropland.CC0 · PubMed Central
Fig 3 Total food waste by Healthy Eating Index-2015 quintile. HEI-2015, Healthy Eating Index-2015. Higher HEI-2015 quintiles indicate higher diet quality.
Fig 3 Total food waste by Healthy Eating Index-2015 quintile. HEI-2015, Healthy Eating Index-2015. Higher HEI-2015 quintiles indicate higher diet quality.CC0 · PubMed Central
Fig 4 Total cropland used to produce wasted food, by diet quality. HEI-2015, Healthy Eating Index-2015.
Fig 4 Total cropland used to produce wasted food, by diet quality. HEI-2015, Healthy Eating Index-2015.CC0 · PubMed Central
Fig 5 Annual amount of a) irrigation water, b) nitrogen fertilizer, c) phosphorus (P2O5) fertilizer, d) potash (K2O) fertilizer, and e) pesticides applied to cropland used to produce wasted food, by diet quality.
Fig 5 Annual amount of a) irrigation water, b) nitrogen fertilizer, c) phosphorus (P2O5) fertilizer, d) potash (K2O) fertilizer, and e) pesticides applied to cropland used to produce wasted food, by diet quality.CC0 · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

38 Not checked yet · 28 Own result · 11 Own method · 11 Own interpretation · 3 No basis given

Verify all 55 references — free account

Show all 57 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 12
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 27
34 of 34
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Uneaten portions/cooking loss represents waste for the purpose of this study.

    “We assumed that uneaten portions/cooking loss represents waste for the purpose of this study.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Fruits and vegetables require small amounts of cropland but substantial amounts of agricultural inputs.

    “This is largely due to fruits and vegetables, which are health-promoting and require small amounts of cropland, but require substantial amounts of agricultural inputs.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Until now, there has been limited research on the relationship between diet quality and food waste, representing a critical research gap in the field of food system sustainability.

    “Until now, there has been limited research on the relationship between diet quality and food waste, representing a critical research gap in the field of food system sustainability.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Fruits and vegetables are more likely to be purchased raw than other foods, transferring more of the processing activity and waste to the consumer phase of the food system rather than to the processor (pre-consumer) phase.

    “Fruits and vegetables are also more likely to be purchased raw than other foods, transferring more of the processing activity and waste to the consumer phase of the food system rather than to the processor (pre-consumer) phase.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    For many Americans with adequate financial resources, when food was discarded, other food was purchased and consumed in its place to prevent hunger.

    “More to the point, for many Americans with adequate financial resources it is likely that, when food was discarded, other food was purchased and consumed in its place in order to prevent hunger.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    For individuals with limited food budgets, wasted food may not be replaced with other foods and may contribute to hunger.

    “By contrast, for individuals with limited food budgets, wasted food may not be replaced with other foods and may indeed contribute to hunger.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The modeling approach assumed that all food used to feed US consumers was domestically grown.

    “The modeling approach we used assumed that all food used to feed US consumers was domestically grown, which does not reflect the globalized nature of the current food system.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Food waste is a critical component of environmental sustainability that, until now, has not been rigorously analyzed alongside diet quality.

    “Food waste is a critical component of environmental sustainability that, until now, has not been rigorously analyzed alongside diet quality.”
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Metadata

Authors
Conrad, Z., Niles, M. T., Neher, D. A., Roy, E. D., Tichenor, N. E., & Jahns, L.
Affiliations
  • Agricultural Research Service (US)
  • University of Vermont (US)
Corresponding author
Conrad, Zach
Venue
PLOS ONE
Published
2018-04-18
Volume
13
Issue
4
Pages
e0195405
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2800430407
Cited by
360
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 67 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 8
FWCI
28.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Issue Lab (Candid) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Agricultural Research Service (3062-51000-051-00D)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
Keywords
food waste, diet quality, environmental sustainability, cropland use, irrigation water, pesticides, fertilizers, Healthy Eating Index-2015, fruits and vegetables, biophysical simulation, agricultural inputs
MeSH terms
Agriculture, Conservation of Natural Resources, Dairy Products, Diet, Food, Fruit, Humans, Meat Products, Nutrition Surveys, United States, Vegetables, Waste Products

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