Modern Food Systems and Health
There is no question that food systems have massively transformed over the past century. Much of what we buy in a supermarket today (anything ultra-processed) would be unrecognizable as food to our great-grandparents. Even more shocking may be the way in which our relationship with food has changed—is has become normal to eat packaged or frozen meals, eat on the go or in front of a screen, and be totally unconscious about where our food comes from or how it is prepared.
At the same time, we are sicker than ever. Rates of chronic diseases are at an all-time high, and we can no longer ignore the reality of climate change and environmental destruction in relation to modern lifestyles. Our food systems directly reflect the growing societal disconnect between our consumption and the health of our bodies and environment.
Understanding Modern Food Systems
Directly sourcing or producing food—from having milk from a local farm delivered to your door, to keeping a veggie garden, to baking your own bread—has been the norm for most of human history. In modern industrialized societies, this norm has shifted drastically: we purchase out-of-season produce in our supermarkets that was grown half-way around the world and eat pre-made meals or products filled with unrecognizable chemical additives and preservatives. In fact, this disconnection has become so omnipresent and accepted that we don’t even think of it as strange.
This reality points to the fact that global food systems intentionally distance consumers from the source of their foods and contribute to the inequitable distribution of power.
Various movements including the Slow Food Movement envision food systems that are more connective: they support a more direct relationship between consumers and producers as well as between consumers and local variety and food culture. While these are other movements for change discussed below are gaining more support, the power in food systems is still condensed in the hands of a few actors who dominate global agriculture.
On the agricultural level, huge profit-driven corporations like Monsanto continue to monopolize food production for efficiency, using practices (GMO seeds, pesticides, intensive farming without crop rotation, etc.) that are more removed from the natural order of things and have increasingly been found to negatively effect both human and environmental health. The rise of obesity and other chronic diseases can be linked to increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are largely derived from the same subsidized crops—corn, rice, wheat, soy, and dairy/animal products. These crops are largely produced by a few “big agra” corporations, concentrating power and wealth in the hands of a few actors and contributing to the massive destruction of biodiversity and soil health.
For the first time in human history, we have populations that are overfed and undernourished, and at the same time, global food insecurity continues to rise in response to changing climate conditions. These system-level problems will ultimately require a radical reorganization of global food production; however, system-level change will only be possible by individual- and community-led action to create stronger grassroots agri-food networks and local communities dedicated to more conscious consumption.
As human and environmental health crises continue to become more urgent, we must critically analyze the interconnectedness of health, food production and consumption, and the environment to form more sustainable and resilient food systems.
Movements For Change
At a global level, there are two dominant trends in response to the challenges of our current food systems. One narrative advocates for more localized networks of food production and distribution, while the other narrative suggests that we should focus our energy on more efficient coordination of existing globalized food networks. Ultimately, sustainable food systems change will need to involve both the relocalization of food production and strengthening of community networks alongside a global shift in our mindset towards food and consumerism.
Current global trends addressing food systems change include the following:
The global plant-based/vegan movement challenges animal agriculture from ethical, environmental, and health perspectives.
Regenerative agriculture exposes the failures of modern food systems and advocates for farming in harmony with nature with the intended outcomes of restoring soil health and building biodiverse ecosystems.
The Slow Food Movement, prominent in Italy and other European countries, highlights the importance of regional foods, specialized production, and seed biodiversity and promotes local production networks.
The rise of eco- and gastrotourism encourages travel based around preserving and learning about the beauty of traditional food cultures and sustainable agriculture.
Technological innovations in the food sector are exploring more resilient agricultural methods and the potential for growing food under new conditions (laboratories, etc.)
Finally, local food movements continue to provide an alternative to global supply chains around the world. As food security continues to be threatened by global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and regional conflicts, the importance of creating resilient local food networks is more important than ever. Each of these trends focuses on a different way to challenge modern food systems, but they can all be connected to food systems thinking: an approach that links the production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption of food with individual- and system-level factors. As individuals, we can begin to adopt a critical approach to thinking about food. Increasing food literacy, or understanding the impact of individual food choices on your own health, the environment, and the economy, is an important first step to becoming a conscious consumer and pushing for healthier and more resilient food systems.
Become a More Consciousness Consumer
Individual action towards food systems change starts with education, reflection, and integration. Start to become a more conscious consumer by using this platform to build food literacy: learn about the danger of processed foods, explore traditional food cultures, and begin to reflect.
Consider following questions to begin building greater awareness around your relationship with modern food systems:
At a global level, how are our current food systems impacted by climate change? How do they impact climate change? At an individual level, how do your choices as a consumer play into this relationship?
Where does the food you eat come from? Who grows it? Can you trace the supply chain of foods you purchase? How disconnected are you from the source of your nourishment?
What is the relationship between food in health in your life? How do you see this relationship playing out at a societal level? What values drive your food choice?