Departmental Event: Healthy Eating and Sustainable Diets

Everybody eats. But how do we eat well, in a way that tastes good, keeps us healthy, and helps protect the planet? In this session, we will cover the current state of what we are eating in the US and globally. We’ll talk about how current diets are contributing to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as how what we eat (and what we waste) contributes to climate change. We’ll take a high-level perspective, with snapshots from around the globe, to uncover the ways in which our “toxic food environment” is making us sick. We’ll dispel the myth that poor diets are due to the lack of willpower or education and showcase promising solutions using snapshots of successful food policies from around the globe.

In the second part of the talk, we’ll delve into specific tools and tricks we can use to make healthier, more sustainable food choices, in the context of our modern food environment. We’ll draw on strategies from nutrition, public health, psychology, mass communication, and behavioral economics. For example, we’ll talk about how to avoid misleading marketing claims on foods, and how to prevent food waste. Learners will leave feeling empowered to make healthier, more sustainable food choices. Join us for an informative and interactive session!