Advisory Boards and Editorial Review Boards
Non UPF Program – Advisory Board
My philosophy on nutrition, health or sustainability, or all combined:
I believe that health and sustainability extend beyond the nutritional content of foods. I support the adoption of healthy, sustainable dietary patterns, based on a socio-ecological model of food production, which aligns with the conservation of agrobiodiversity and respects culinary traditions across the world.
Furthermore, I believe it is important to understand the concepts of environmental sustainability and planetary health. Planetary health describes how planetary ecosystems and human health are intertwined, each interdependent on one another. Planetary health and planetary boundaries are interrelated concepts, and both must be addressed.
Planetary boundaries are processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth. According to the Stockholm Resilience Centre: “We cannot consider Planetary Boundaries in isolation in any decision making on sustainability. Only by respecting all nine boundaries can we maintain the safe operating space for human civilization.” See:
https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html__;!\!Hj18uoVe_Lnx!uWbX-to2kwzxHXvfQqn1SpTUQJa8DU7eoZ5zoQ1Biog2fd7zCuU4Jd_rP-PQZcyGvMVSLHVdYSffsl0XHJTPGndQDNIk$
In September 2023, a team of scientists quantified, for the first time, the nine planetary boundaries. These scientists reported that six of the nine planetary boundaries have been transgressed (crossed). Hence, it is important to understand how our food choices and food systems impact human health, planetary health, and sustainability.
Why I chose to be involved in The Non-UPF Program
I chose to be involved in The Non-UPF Program because there is a need to increase awareness of the human health impacts associated with excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods. I am also concerned about the potential negative planetary health impacts resulting from excessive ultra-processed food consumption including increased greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. Finally, ultra-processed foods are commonly encased in plastic-based food packaging, which may negatively impact human and planetary health. This is because most plastic food packaging contains endocrine-disrupting and/or metabolism-disrupting chemicals (e.g., bisphenols, phthalates).
