The Role of Animal-Source Foods in Sustainable, Ethical, and Optimal Human Diets

Achieving sustainable, ethical food systems in support of human and planetary health is among the greatest challenges facing the global community. Globally, 815 million people are chronically undernourished, 108 million children and 604 million adults are obese, and more than two billion people are at risk of micronutrient deficiencies. Animal-source foods (ASFs), including milk, meat, fish, and eggs, provide high-quality protein and a variety of micronutrients in forms readily absorbed and used by the human body. Current research continues to explore the nutritional contributions of ASFs, their interactions with other dietary components, and their role in healthy human growth and development. This chapter uses the framework of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to consider the value of ASFs in human diets across a range of settings. It discusses opportunities for multidisciplinary efforts that harness science, technology, and innovation (STI) to mitigate risks of foodborne disease, to promote the efficient management of natural resources, to reduce nutrient losses within livestock value chains, and to support gender- and culturally sensitive communication around livestock management and human nutrition. In support of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, this chapter proposes opportunities to meet the nutritional needs of current and future populations while supporting biodiversity and conserving scarce natural resources.