Project 467001

Climate change and chronic disease are global crises linked by a common factor: food. Current food systems contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions and promote nutrient-poor, excessively-caloric eating patterns. These dietary patterns increase the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, which affect a third of all Canadians. A solution for addressing these problems is to follow sustainable diets, which are healthy, environmentally-friendly, culturally-appropriate, available, and affordable. Abundant evidence shows that medical nutrition therapy, dietary counselling provided by registered dietitians, improves diabetes-related health outcomes. These therapeutic techniques stand to benefit from recent research into environmentally-positive food sources. I intend to evaluate if and how sustainable eating is integrated in medical nutrition therapy for people living with type 2 diabetes.First, I will analyze if eating patterns currently used by dietitians for treating diabetes address the many domains of sustainable diets, such as ecological-positivity, cultural-sensitivity, and food security. Next, I will conduct focus groups with dietitians and people living with diabetes to assess their perspectives on sustainable eating: Do they think sustainability is important? Do they think they can recommend or follow a sustainable diet, and do they believe that doing so will benefit diabetes management?This work will evaluate how health professionals help people living with diabetes make food choices that benefit personal and planetary health. Findings from this study will also open dialogues on ecologically-sustainable treatment modalities in clinical nutrition.