ABSTRACT
The last century has witnessed a massive transformation in the food system and the nature of human–animal interactions, with industrial processes replacing traditional animal farming practices. In this chapter, we discuss how these transformations created novel routes for the transmission of pathogens that gained, or regained, access to human populations, along with the conditions that are eroding many of the health advances achieved so far. We first describe how the impoverishment of animal health and welfare in modern animal production systems became a major driver of infectious disease emergence at a global level. We then focus on the direct effects of these systems on water and air pollution, the health of workers, and of local communities. In addressing the many ways in which animal production, consumption, and trade affect human health, we also review the global health impacts of wildlife hunting, farming, trafficking, and trade. We close with a section on overconsumption of animal-sourced food as a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases.
