Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Four ways blue foods can help achieve food system ambitions across nations

Beatrice Crona, Emmy Wassénius, Malin Jonell, J. Zachary Koehn, Rebecca Short, Michelle Tigchelaar, Tim M. Daw, Christopher D. Golden, Jessica A. Gephart, Edward H. Allison, Simon R. Bush, Ling Cao, William W. L. Cheung, Fabrice DeClerck, Jessica Fanzo, Stefan Gelcich, Avinash Kishore, Benjamin S. Halpern, Christina C. Hicks, James P. Leape, David C. Little, Fiorenza Micheli, Rosamond L. Naylor, Michael J. Phillips, Elizabeth R. Selig, Marco Springmann, U. Rashid Sumaila, Max Troell, Shakuntala H. Thilsted, Colette C. C. Wabnitz

Nature · 2023

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Summary

This policy-oriented assessment integrates findings from the Blue Food Assessment to propose four evidence-based policy objectives for leveraging aquatic foods in national food systems. The authors develop an analytical framework that contextualises blue food contributions across nutritional security, environmental sustainability, economic development and climate adaptation, identifying distinct policy priorities for different regions based on their epidemiological, environmental and socio-economic profiles.

UK applicability

The United Kingdom, as a Global North nation with high ruminant meat consumption and associated cardiovascular disease burden, may find relevance in the objective to increase moderate consumption of low-impact seafood as a health-promoting alternative. The framework's emphasis on environmental footprints and climate resilience may also inform UK food system policy, though specific applicability depends on the degree to which UK-specific data were incorporated.

Key measures

Nutritional contributions (vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids); environmental impact (greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use); economic and livelihood outcomes; climate vulnerability and adaptation relevance by country

Outcomes reported

The study assessed nutritional, environmental, economic and justice dimensions of blue foods globally and translated findings into four policy objectives relevant to different national contexts. The analysis identified how blue food consumption could address micronutrient deficiencies in African and South American nations, reduce cardiovascular disease and greenhouse gas emissions in Global North countries, and build climate resilience in high-risk regions.

Theme
Policy, governance & rights
Subject
Food & agricultural policy
Study type
Policy
Study design
Policy report
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Aquaculture
DOI
10.1038/s41586-023-05737-x
Catalogue ID
MGmounu4u5-39rutf

Topic tags

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