2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

334928
Role of animal producers and retailers in Sustainable Dietary Guidelines


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 11:30 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

David Wallinga, MD, MPA, Healthy Food Action, St. Paul, MN
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has concluded that "a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact".  Naturally, this conclusion has met with resistance from animal producers and retailers.  In this presentation, we will consider whether the long-term sustainability of the American diet is something that should be determined by private corporate entities, or should we instead consider the long-term availability of land and resources in America to grow food for domestic consumption a public good?  We will describe, and critically evaluate, the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, in which McDonald's and WalMart are important partners.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Discuss how the 'tragedy of the commons' might describe American food production? Explain why sustainability of American diets might be considered a public good? Critically assess how sustainability is addressed by the private Global Roundtable on Sustainable Beef

Keyword(s): Nutrition, Sustainability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Director of Healthy Food Action, which was among the leading health advocacy groups calling for sustainability to be promoted by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to the USDA and HHS.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3151.0: Sustainable Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Putting Short-term and Long-term Health in all Policies