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Quantitative environmental evaluations of meat, fresh vegetables, and processed protein based on soybeans suggest that the environmental burden of vegetarian foods is usually relatively low when production and processing are considered. The environmental comparison of cheese varieties made from cow milk and directly from lupine and the evaluation of energy inputs in fish protein and vegetable protein also suggest an environmental advantage for vegetarian food. In the evaluation of processed protein food based on soy-beans and meat protein, a variety of environmental impacts associated with primary production and processing are a factor 4.4-> 100 to the disadvantage of meat. The comparison of cheese varieties gives differences in specific environmental impacts ranging between a factor 5 and 21. And energy use for fish protein may be up to a factor 14 more than for protein of vegetable origin. Assessment suggests that on average the complete life cycle environmental impact of nonvegetarian meals may be roughly a factor 1.5-2 higher than the effect of vegetarian meals in which meat has been replaced by vegetable protein. Although on average vegetarian diets may well have an environmental advantage, exceptions may also occur. Long-distance air transport, deep-freezing, and some horti-cultural practices may lead to environmental burdens for vegetarian foods exceeding those for locally produced organic meat. KEY WORDS Life cycle impact assessment, environmental impact, meat, cheese, fish, soybeans, processed protein, vegetables, vegetarian meals

The most consistent toxic effects of dioxintype chemicals are hyperlipidemia, body weight loss (particularly body fat loss), anorexia, changes in carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid peroxidation. The biochemical systems particularly affected are lipoprotein lipases, low-density-lipoprotein receptors, glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs), vitamin C uptake, and insulin secretion. Some of these biochemical changes occur at very low doses, and some effects can last for long time periods. To provide a mechanistic explanation for such actions of dioxins, available experimental evidence has been reviewed. The most recent discovery indicates that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) directly acts with isolated cytosolic aryl-hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor under cell-free conditions even without the presence of the nucleus and is capable of activating key protein kinases that are involved in the growth factor signal-transduction pathway. The resulting activation of primary-response transcription factors in the nucleus appears to play a key role in coordinating vital cell program shifts, including lipid metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 1995;61(suppl):695S-701S

Nutrition ecology is an interdisciplinary scientific discipline that encompasses the entire nutrition system, with special consideration of the effects of nutrition on health, the environment, society, and the economy. Nutrition ecology involves all components of the food chain, including production, harvesting, preservation, storage, transport, processing, packaging, trade, distribution, preparation, composition, and consumption of food, as well as disposal of waste materials. Nutrition ecology has numerous origins, some of which go back to antiquity. The introduction of industrialized agriculture and mass animal production gave rise to various negative influences on the environment and health. Food quality is determined in part by the quality of the environment. The environment, in turn, is influenced by food consumption habits. Research shows that vegetarian diets are well suited to protect the environment, to reduce pollution, and to minimize global climate changes. To maximize the ecologic and health benefits of vegetarian diets, food should be regionally produced, seasonally consumed, and organically grown. Vegetarian diets built on these conditions are scientifically based, socially acceptable, economically feasible, culturally desired, sufficiently practicable, and quite sustainable. KEY WORDS Nutrition ecology, vegetarian diets, nutrition system, health, environment, sustainability