Laurence Guillaumie1, Olivier Boiral2, Amel Baghdadli3, Geneviève Mercille4. 1. Faculty of Nursing, Research Centre CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. Laurence.Guillaumie@fsi.ulaval.ca. 2. Canada Research Chair in Internalization of Sustainability Practices and Organizational Accountability, Department of Management, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. 3. Department of Management, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, 2325 rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. 4. Department of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, 2405, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Sustainable nutrition is increasingly important, as the food system contributes one third of greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable nutrition, or sustainable diet, refers to diets with low environmental impacts that contribute to food security and health. This systematic review aimed to identify factors that influence whether professionals in health-related institutions integrate sustainable nutrition into their practice. METHODS: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted using the MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. To be included, the studies had to document perspectives on sustainable nutrition from health professionals, including dietitians, students and educators in health sciences, public health officers, and hospital food service managers. Data extraction focused on perceived barriers, facilitating factors, and top recommendations for promoting sustainable nutrition. SYNTHESIS: Twenty studies were included, most of which focused on dietitians. Data analysis revealed that 25 factors influenced the integration of sustainable nutrition into professional practice. The factors most reported in the included studies were perceived knowledge of sustainable nutrition, self-efficacy, awareness of environmental issues, and perceiving the promotion of sustainable nutrition to be part of one's professional role. Increasing societal support through awareness campaigns and increasing institutional support through guidelines, information tools, and financial support were also frequently mentioned. CONCLUSION: Sustainable nutrition is a multifaceted concept; integrating it into already complex professional practices is therefore challenging. At the present time, dietitians seem to be the health professionals predominantly researched regarding their views on sustainable nutrition. Many concrete avenues to promote sustainable nutrition were identified through this review.
OBJECTIVES: Sustainable nutrition is increasingly important, as the food system contributes one third of greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable nutrition, or sustainable diet, refers to diets with low environmental impacts that contribute to food security and health. This systematic review aimed to identify factors that influence whether professionals in health-related institutions integrate sustainable nutrition into their practice. METHODS: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted using the MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. To be included, the studies had to document perspectives on sustainable nutrition from health professionals, including dietitians, students and educators in health sciences, public health officers, and hospital food service managers. Data extraction focused on perceived barriers, facilitating factors, and top recommendations for promoting sustainable nutrition. SYNTHESIS: Twenty studies were included, most of which focused on dietitians. Data analysis revealed that 25 factors influenced the integration of sustainable nutrition into professional practice. The factors most reported in the included studies were perceived knowledge of sustainable nutrition, self-efficacy, awareness of environmental issues, and perceiving the promotion of sustainable nutrition to be part of one's professional role. Increasing societal support through awareness campaigns and increasing institutional support through guidelines, information tools, and financial support were also frequently mentioned. CONCLUSION: Sustainable nutrition is a multifaceted concept; integrating it into already complex professional practices is therefore challenging. At the present time, dietitians seem to be the health professionals predominantly researched regarding their views on sustainable nutrition. Many concrete avenues to promote sustainable nutrition were identified through this review.
Keywords:
Climate change; Dietitians; Food supply managers; Greenhouse gas emissions; Health care facilities; Public health; Sustainable nutrition; Systematic review