Diets, Food Choices and Environmental Impacts across an Urban-Rural Interface in Northern Vietnam

Huong Thi Trinh, Vincent Linderhof, Vy Thao Vuong, Erin E. Esaryk, Martin Heller, Youri Dijkxhoorn, Trang Mai Nguyen, Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh, Ricardo Hernandez, Thanh Thi Duong, Luu Van Thi, Andrew D. Jones, Elise F. Talsma, Mai Tuyet Truong, Thom Achterbosch and Stef de Haan
Additional contact information
Huong Thi Trinh: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Vy Thao Vuong: Department of Global Development, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Erin E. Esaryk: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 95616, USA
Martin Heller: School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Youri Dijkxhoorn: Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University and Research, Prinses Beatrixlaan 582, 2595 BM Den Haag, The Netherlands
Trang Mai Nguyen: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Tuyen Thi Thanh Huynh: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Ricardo Hernandez: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Thanh Thi Duong: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Luu Van Thi: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)-Asia Office, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Andrew D. Jones: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Elise F. Talsma: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 9101, 6700 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands
Mai Tuyet Truong: National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Stef de Haan: International Potato Center (CIP), Avenida La Molina 1895, Apartado 1558, 15023 Lima 12, Peru

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-20

Abstract: Human diets and their associated environmental impacts differ across segments of the population. There is evidence that consumer choices of food intake can also affect the overall environmental impacts of a food system. This paper analyzes the environmental impact of diets and food choices across a rural–urban transect in Northern Vietnam by using mixed survey data from 619 adult respondents. The average greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) resulting from producing the daily food intake of adults in the urban and peri-urban districts were similar, while the average in the rural district was lower. Although starchy staples contributed the most to energy intake, pork and beef were the largest contributors to GHGE. Metrics of blue water use were higher for diets of males than those of females in all three districts. Interestingly, the difference in mean diet diversity score between urban and rural households was significant, and females’ diets were more diverse than those of males. As expected, urban households were more likely to buy food, while rural households often produced their own foods. Urban households reported prioritizing personal health and the natural content of food and would increase seafood and fruits if their income were to increase. In rural regions, interventions aimed at reducing undernutrition should address improving diet quality without significant increases to diet-related environmental impacts.

Keywords: rural–urban transect; GHGE; blue water use; diet variety scores; food sourcing; demographic; consumer behavior; sustainable food system; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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