Poultry for SHARP diets

Abstract

Sustainable-healthy diets that can nurture human health and the environment are paramount important to achieving SDGs and the targets of the Paris Agreement. However, the diets of many individuals and nations are neither healthy nor sustainable. Healthy diets prevent nutrient deficiencies and reduce non-communicable disease risks. Animal source foods (ASF) are considered a critically important component of a healthy diet. However, consumption of ASF, particularly excess amounts of red meat and processed ASF items is reported to be associated with a range of non-communicable diseases. Since the environmental impacts of ASFs are higher than plant-sourced foods, the type and the amount of ASF consumed have a significant impact on the sustainability and the healthiness of the diets. To make a practical impact on people and the planet, apart from being sustainable and healthy, food items that are to be included in diets should be affordable, reliable and preferred. This paper highlights the importance of chicken meat and eggs as a sustainable, healthy, affordable, reliable and preferred (SHARP) source of ASF for Sri Lankans. Environmental impact indicators of chicken meat and egg are lower than other livestock products and sometimes even comparable with popular ASF alternatives. Availability and the utilization efficiencies of nutrients present in chicken meat and eggs are high due to their better digestibility and balance of nutrients, particularly that of amino acids. Chicken meat contains a low amount of fat and cholesterol. The conception that the consumption of chicken eggs is associated with health risks has proven to be wrong. The steady increase in per capita consumption of chicken meat and eggs that was experienced until the recent economic crisis and subsequent sharp drop in prices of them with economic stability indicate better affordability. Environmental friendliness, nutritional-merits and affordability of chicken meat and egg become even better compared to other livestock products and popular ASF alternatives when the performances of relevant indicators are expressed on unit of nutrient basis. Due to several reasons, the poultry industry offers a reliable option to meet the increasing demand for animal proteins. Sri Lanka has reached self-sufficiency in chicken meat and has great potential to expand, adapt and innovate. Showing resilience and tenacity, the poultry sector showed a quick recovery along with economic stability. In contrast to other livestock sectors, the production performance parameters of the Sri Lankan poultry industry are comparable with those of international competitors. Importantly, ethnoreligious taboos related to the production of poultry and consumption of poultry products are less severe compared to other livestock products. The EAT-Lancet report for sustainable healthy diet recommends up to 58 and 30 g of chicken meat and egg per day, respectively thus allowing great opportunities for Sri Lanka to increase its present per capita consumption of chicken meat (29g) and egg (18g) within the framework of SHARP diets.