
For young German citizens, climate protection goes through their stomach (health study)
Three quarters of teenagers and young adults also make a contribution to environmental protection through their eating habits. This is shown by the study “Future Health 2022” by vivida bkk and the “Die Gesundarbeiter” foundation. 1,022 German citizens between the ages of 14 and 34 were surveyed.
Contribution to climate protection
Food belongs on the table, not in the bin. More and more young people are taking this resolution to heart. Of the study participants who eat a sustainable and healthy diet, 64 percent of 14 to 34 year olds said they do not throw away food and use leftovers. For comparison: in 2021 it was only 56 percent.
According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, around 11 million tons of food waste are disposed of in Germany every year. If the amount was halved, six million tons of greenhouse gas emissions could be saved. “By eating a sustainable and healthy diet, young people are not only doing something good for themselves, but are also making a contribution to climate protection,” says Katharina Volkmar, sustainability expert at vivida bkk.
Sustainability starts with purchasing
For health-conscious teenagers and young adults, climate-friendly nutrition begins with shopping. Almost two thirds of them choose local, seasonal fruit and vegetables in the supermarket instead of products that have previously been transported long distances. Half also value the fact that food generally comes from the region. In addition, the consumption of animal foods among young people has declined: one in two people now eats less meat and three in ten are reducing the amount of dairy products and eggs consumed.
Avoiding meat reduces the CO₂ footprint
A behavior that has a positive impact on the climate account. Every German citizen causes an average of 1.69 tons of greenhouse gases per year through their diet. The sustainability expert: “Low meat consumption makes a difference here and influences the individual ecological footprint. If you want to know how big your individual footprint is, I would advise you to do the Federal Environment Agency’s quick CO2 check.”
Eat healthy and sustainably
Nine out of ten of the nutrition-conscious study participants also stated that a sustainable diet made them feel healthier at the same time. “There’s something to it,” states Volkmar. “The German Society for Nutrition recommends that no more than 300 to 600 grams of meat be consumed per person per week as part of a balanced diet. The majority of the diet should consist of plant foods in the form of vegetables, fruits and grain products. These can be supplemented with animal foods such as dairy products, eggs, fish and meat. Anyone who takes these guidelines into account, looks at the seasonal calendar and doesn’t waste any food will not only eat healthily, but also sustainably.”
The health insurance company vivida bkk is currently in the process of measuring its own CO2 footprint: “Together with the company Klimaaktiv, we are recording our impact on the environment for the first time in order to then implement measures to reduce our CO2 footprint,” explains Volkmar. “As a health insurance company, we also have responsibility for the environment. After all, our health is significantly influenced by climate changes.”
The study “Future Health 2022 – Checking the Pulse of Young German Citizens” can be found as a PDF HERE
Further information offers:
- 10 rules for healthy eating from the German Nutrition Society: https://www.dge.de/ernaehrungspraxis/vollwerte-ernaehrung/10-rules-der-dge/
- Seasonal calendar of the Federal Center for Nutrition: https://www.bzfe.de/nachhafter-verbrauch/orientation-beim-einkauf/der-saisonkalender/
- Calculator for the CO₂ footprint from the Federal Environment Agency: https://uba.co2-rechner.de/de_DE/food#panel-calc
Short profile “vivida bkk”:
With around 356,000 customers, vivida bkk is one of the statutory health insurance companies open nationwide and looks back on over 180 years of company history. Around 880 employees work in 16 branches from the north to the south of Germany. The family-friendly health insurance company focuses on personal service, attractive benefits and modern communication channels. Under the motto “Health is the most valuable thing in life”, it sees itself as a health companion in all phases of life. The board is made up of Siegfried Gänsler as chairman of the board and Peter Witt. With its foundation “The Healthy Workers – Future Responsibility for Health”, vivida bkk supports projects in the area of prevention and health care, with a focus on children and young people.
Source:
German health portal
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