like – Although many parents see the future of their children threatened by the climate crisis, only a third (29 percent) attach great importance to sustainable nutrition. This is the result of a current survey for Schleswig-Holstein, which the IGES Institute carried out on behalf of the AOK. According to the current AOK family study, there is a major lack of knowledge about sustainable nutrition. In particular, the level of education of the parents has a major influence on how sustainably families feed themselves. “Sustainable nutrition is part of health education and should definitely be on the timetable. In addition, children need more healthy options in canteens and canteens. We should start making this knowledge tangible as early as daycare,” says Tom Ackermann, CEO of AOK NordWest.
For the AOK family study, the IGES Institute surveyed around 8,500 parents nationwide, 537 of them in Schleswig-Holstein. Although 83 percent of the parents surveyed in the north see the climate crisis as a major threat to their children’s future and 81 percent consider the influence of nutrition on the climate and environment to be significant, this does not have an equally positive effect on everyday eating habits. According to the total score determined for sustainable nutrition, only 29 percent of the parents surveyed in Schleswig-Holstein consider sustainable nutrition to be important or very important. The total score includes, for example, results on meat consumption, food preparation and sustainability aspects.
According to the AOK family study, every fourth person (25 percent) in the North believes that sustainable nutrition is unhealthy. 35 percent have changed their eating habits towards more sustainability due to the climate crisis.
Sustainable nutrition means a wholesome diet that is optimal for both human health and ecological sustainability and is referred to as the “Planetary Health Diet”. The focus is on a plant-based diet, in which whole grain products, fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes make up a larger proportion. Meat and dairy products are also important parts of the diet, but to a significantly reduced extent.
Level of education influences sustainable nutrition
The socio-economic status and in particular the level of education of the parents have a major influence on how sustainably families feed themselves. While sustainable nutrition is very or very important to 38 percent of those surveyed in Schleswig-Holstein with a university entrance qualification, this is only the case for 17 percent of those surveyed with a secondary school diploma. In addition, 91 percent of parents would like their children to learn about climate and environmentally friendly nutrition in daycare or school. “It would be important here for health education to be integrated into regular classes nationwide from the first to the tenth grade,” says Ackermann.
Closing gaps in knowledge through broad societal efforts
The results of the AOK family study also show that parents lack knowledge in other areas: 39 percent have inadequate or problematic nutritional skills. Almost half (45 percent) state that they already pay attention to an environmentally and climate-friendly diet, although they consume plant and animal products in equal measure (mixed food). The proportion of children who are fed a reduced-meat diet is 29 percent in Schleswig-Holstein. Around two-thirds (67 percent) of parents find it too complicated to also pay attention to climate and environmental friendliness in addition to healthy nutrition. “This obvious knowledge deficit needs to be closed. This requires broad social efforts,” demands Ackermann.
More and more adolescents are cared for all day and have lunch in day-care centers and schools. 74 percent of the parents surveyed consider it important that their child is fed healthily and sustainably when they are not at home. “Therefore, the DGE quality criteria for community catering must be laid down in the federal government’s nutrition strategy and implemented in daycare centers and schools,” demands Ackermann and adds: “This requires the willingness of the federal, state and local governments to jointly finance healthy nutrition. All children and young people must be offered high-quality, balanced meals, regardless of their parents’ income.