ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines what is meant by the notions of sustainable diets and sustainability, and describes the practical and conceptual problems of sustainability and food. It summarises the conventional approach to sustainability as being about three overlapping concerns – environment, society and economy. Diet and food also have cultural meanings. What people eat varies by social class, ethnicity, culture, income, history, aspiration and occasion. The word 'diet' is not just a matter of the food. Like the environment, the word 'diet' carries baggage and its reality is shaped by socio-cultural pressure such as human preferences, availability, normality, cost, moral values. The modern problem of sustainable diets is a new phase in the long challenge of living within environmental circumstances, eating from what is available or can be made available. The notion of sustainable diet proposes that a good diet for the twenty-first century is one that is health-enhancing, has a low environmental impact, and is culturally appropriate and economically viable.
