Food variety and biodiversity: Econutrition

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Increasing human population drives environmental degradation, pollution, and global warming, threatening global biomass production and biodiversity.
• Declining annual biomass production (ABP) reduces energy flow in ecosystems, impacting plant and animal life.
• Biodiversity is crucial for human health, providing varied food sources, medicinal compounds, and ecosystem services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical link between environmental health, biodiversity, and human well-being.
• To underscore the importance of diverse food sources for human health and resilience.
• To introduce and advocate for the field of 'Eco-nutrition' as a critical area of scientific inquiry.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on population growth, environmental impacts, and biodiversity.
• Analysis of the relationship between ecosystem health and human health outcomes.
• Conceptual framework development for 'Eco-nutrition'.

Main Results:

• Environmental degradation directly threatens biodiversity and biomass production, impacting food and medicinal resources.
• Biodiversity loss poses risks to food security, potential medical advancements, and ecosystem stability.
• Current food production systems may eventually disadvantage human health despite life expectancy improvements.

Conclusions:

• Maintaining biodiversity is essential for safeguarding human health, ensuring food security, and providing medicinal resources.
• The pursuit of dietary variety, a global guideline, requires deeper biological and ecological understanding.
• 'Eco-nutrition' offers a vital framework for addressing the complex interplay between food systems, environment, and human health.