Food, Environment, Health SPA

It is a cross-disciplinary exploration of the environmental, socio-economic, public health and personal nutrition contexts of food systems. The course focuses on how our food choices influence the environment, how the environment impacts our diet and health and what actions can improve these interactions.

The environment, human well-being and the functioning of society are highly influenced by food production and consumption. Are we destroying the environment as we struggle to feed the growing population? Is the environment becoming increasingly toxic for our health? Examples of the topics included in the course: the impact of certain dietary habits and demands on food systems (e.g. demand for cheap sources of calories, rise of meat consumption, demand for year-round luxury foods), the depletion of soil and increased use of fertilisers; xenobiotics and human health; how sensory decisions are influenced by the environment and much more.