Development of the Food Systems-related Greenhouse Gas Emissions Factor Database using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018).

Abstract

BACKGROUND The increase in the frequency and scale of climate-related disasters is closely linked to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) from food systems. Due to a lack of a comprehensive emission database that covers entire food systems, data on per-capita dietary GHGEs are limited. OBJECTIVE We created the Food Systems-related GHGE Factor Database (FS-GHGEF-D) to cover an entire food system and estimate per-capita GHGEs for Korea. METHODS We include GHGE factors for 3,894 food items derived from 24-hour-recall data of the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). We extracted these factors from 920 articles, excluding studies that focused only on specific GHG types or single system boundaries, and used a Monte Carlo Markov chain simulation to assess uncertainty of estimates. RESULTS The FS-GHGEF-D covered 96.6% of food items. A total of 265 food items, primarily alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, were characterized by high degrees of uncertainty. However, removing these foods did not significantly alter the average GHGE factor across all food groups or affect coverage significantly, with the exception of the beverage category (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The average daily diet-related GHGEs per capita in Korea, as calculated using FS-GHGEF-D, was 5.08 kgCO2eq. Among food groups, meats contributed the most to the total variation in dietary GHGEs in the Korea population (75.7%). Men generally emitted more GHGEs than did women, with men in their 30s being the highest emitters. DISCUSSION This study highlights the utility of a full-system GHGE database that addresses prior limitations in global estimates. Korean dietary patterns exceed climate-compatible thresholds, with substantial variation by demographic groups. These findings support the need for equity-focused strategies and integration of environmental considerations into national dietary guidelines for sustainable and climate-resilient food systems. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15534.