A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System (2015) / Chapter Skim
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, human health (e.g., direct effects on diet-related chronic disease risk, and indirect effects associated with soil, air, and water pollution) , and society (e.g., effects on food accessibility and affordability, land use, employment, labor conditions, and local economies)
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In considering any changes, decision makers need the right tools for analyzing intended and unintended effects, understanding how to weigh Figure 2-1 and S-1 those potential effects, and being able to recognize the need for trade-offs.1 Bitmapped For example, recommendations to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables to promote healthier diets raise questions about the potential consequences of expanding their supply, such as increased irrigation water or farm labor. Deciding among various options can be challenging because there could be a large number of trade-offs that are difficult to compare.
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that are beyond the scope of this report. THE TASK The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council convened an expert committee to develop an analytical framework relevant for the food system (see the Statement of Task in Box S-1)
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improved data collection systems and methodologies to identify and measure these effects; and (3) inform decision making in food and agricultural practices and policies in ways that minimize unintended health, environmental, social, and economic consequences.
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. Different configurations for the committee to con sider might include regionally based food systems and a global food system; free-range production of poultry and caged housing practices; and reduced retail presence of processed food and current availability of processed food.
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Many mechanisms at work within the food sys tem cross multiple levels (e.g., the biological level, physical food environment, and social or market context are all involved in food preferences and eating behavior)
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The committee identified both direct and indirect consequences, and it found interactions across the various health, environmental, social, and economic domains (e.g., health effects that are due to environmental exposures; interdependency between socioeconomic status and health outcomes)
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Defining the relevant scope for analysis entails using the framework to identify meaningful changes along the food supply chain -- in various effect domains and dimensions, in the time horizon, in interacting processes, and in system feedbacks. The scope defines the elements of the food system to be analyzed.
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Outside the boundaries, the assessment may assume constant conditions, even though potential far-reaching effects are possible beyond the boundaries. Within the defined boundaries, the assessment seeks to describe interactions and relationships among key actors along the relevant parts of the food supply chain; the impact of changes on a range of health, environment, social, and economic effects; and the processes and pathways that produce the outcomes of interest.
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The reporting step typically involves creating a report that clearly documents how the assessment was conducted; data sources and analytical tools, including the assumptions; interaction with stakeholders; findings; and recommendations. Principles of the Framework The framework consists of the following principles that would guide a team of assessors throughout an analysis (see Figure S-3)
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Given the tendency of complex interactions to trigger dynamic repercussions, assessments should, to the extent feasible, account for effects across time, space, and heterogeneous populations. They should also acknowledge the potential role of underlying drivers and interacting 4 Quantity, quality, distribution, and resilience measure how much the food system provides, where and to whom the production goes, and how sustainably it can produce.
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Principle 4: Choose Appropriate Methods for Analysis and Synthesis Careful choice of metrics and methods is fundamental to conducting a meaningful assessment. Prevailing standards of evidence govern the choice of metrics and methods.
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The use of high levels of nitrogen fertilizer to increase crop yields has environmental, health, and economic consequences that go beyond immediate concerns with crop yields. A baseline scenario could be one that is mostly reliant on mineral fertilizers without the use of methods to increase nitrogen uptake and retention.
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2. Studies that consider the entire food supply chain and address mul tiple domains (and dimensions)
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A CALL TO ACTION Use of the Framework The committee provides an analytical framework that should be used to examine policies or proposed changes in the food system that may have wide implications. The committee intends for the report to stimulate broad thinking among policy makers, researchers, and other stakeholders about the consequences of food system policies and actions beyond a single dimension.
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Given that other factors, such as value judgments, underlie many choices for interventions, the committee strongly urges decision makers to use this framework to analyze the best available information about system-wide effects, trade-offs, and dynamics and to guide their selection of interventions. This framework is sufficiently general and flexible for analyzing various configurations of the current and future food system.
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Government, academic, and private sectors have recognized the need to share data. The committee supports federal government efforts to share data and recommends further development of improved methods for more efficiently sharing data and models across disciplines and agencies and with the private sector.
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