Greenfeeding - an urgent environmental and public health issue!

Abstract

Key messages • Food has a measurable impact on climate change at every stage of production, packaging, transport, waste treatment. Greenfeeding (sometimes referred to as eco-feeding or ecofriendly feeding) means producing and eating local, healthy and sustainable foods. • Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) top the list of planetary burdens in terms of manufacturing as well as in terms of health impacts (NDCs and infections). Formula and industrial baby foods are UPFs and therefore make an important contribution to negative impacts on climate and natural resources. • Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding while giving family foods produced locally by sustainable agriculture are vital measures for the health of the child, the mother and the environment. They are of critical importance to reduce carbon and water footprints and mitigate the impact of climate change and pollution. • Therefore, type of policy and legal measure to protect, promote and support breastfeeding is a direct and fundamental contribution to mother and child health, to public health and to the health of our planet. • It is crucial to combine legislation (implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and related WHA Resolutions) and traditional cultural contexts to assure success of greenfeeding campaigns.