Capstone Projects

Sustainable Diets: Connecting Healthcare Systems, Human Health, and the Environment

Program: Sustainable Management Master's Degree
Location: Not Specified (onsite)
Student: Laura Grovogel

Human health, environmental health, and access to sustainable healthcare services are some of the biggest challenges currently confronting the developed world. In response, the United Nations created Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to present targets for worldwide adoption of sustainable communities, responsible production & consumption, and climate action. Sustainable food systems (and the sustainable diets that they produce) are essential elements needed for the achievement of the United Nations’ SDGs. Sustainable diets are fundamentally connected to human health & environmental health as well as indirectly associated with healthcare affordability and sustainability (i.e. through reducing chronic disease). Accordingly, healthcare systems, human health, and environmental health can mutually benefit from a worldwide adoption of sustainable diets afforded by sustainable food systems. Therefore, with healthcare systems being main stakeholders in human and environmental health, it is vital for healthcare systems to lead the worldwide efforts to increase sustainable food consumption.