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Youth demand political action on healthy sustainable diets

Nature Food volume 2, pages 746–747 (2021)Cite this article

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To the Editor — There is an urgent need to transition to sustainable and nourishing dietary patterns. In the decade ahead, we will choose collectively either to accelerate or reverse a tide of diet-related chronic disease, climate change and species loss. Addressing food production through increasing efficiencies or transitioning to regenerative practices is clearly not enough1. Consumption patterns must shift to ensure food and nutrition security, and a liveable climate for a growing population.

In 2021, more than 10,000 young people were engaged in a consultation process with the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) to understand our vision for the future of food. The UNFSS leadership has asked us to present our game-changing solutions to the food crisis. To gather these solutions, the Act4Food Act4Change youth pledge sought young people’s top priorities for food system transformation. The pledge has been signed by over 25,000 young people, with strong representation from youth on every continent, and youth leadership from all corners of the world. At the same time, the youth consultation through the UN Development Programme’s online community platform SparkBlue facilitated conversations between young people on food system challenges and opportunities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environment & Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

    Joanna Trewern

  2. WWF-UK, Woking, UK

    Joanna Trewern

  3. University of Adelaide Medical School, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Luke Spajic

  4. GreenBiz, Oakland, CA, USA

    Theresa Lieb

  5. Real Food Systems, Chitwan, Nepal

    Pramisha Thapaliya

  6. Tailored Food, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Taylor Quinn

  7. UN World Food Programme, Rome, Italy

    Taylor Quinn

  8. The University of Melbourne, Climate-Proof Food, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Roman Davas-Fahey

  9. Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Omnia El-Omrani

  10. Zero Hour, Joinville, Brazil

    Lana Weidgenant

Authors
  1. Joanna Trewern
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  2. Luke Spajic
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  3. Theresa Lieb
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  4. Pramisha Thapaliya
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  5. Taylor Quinn
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  6. Roman Davas-Fahey
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  7. Omnia El-Omrani
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  8. Lana Weidgenant
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanna Trewern.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Trewern, J., Spajic, L., Lieb, T. et al. Youth demand political action on healthy sustainable diets. Nat Food 2, 746–747 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00382-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00382-x

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