title: Health professionals' roles in animal agriculture, climate change, and human health.
abstract: What we eat is rapidly becoming an issue of global concern. With food shortages, the rise in chronic disease, and global warming, the impact of our dietary choices seems more relevant today than ever. Globally, a transition is taking place toward greater consumption of foods of animal origin, in lieu of plant-based diets. With this transition comes intensification of animal agriculture that in turn is associated with the emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases, environmental degradation, and the epidemics of chronic disease and obesity. Health professionals should be aware of these trends and consider them as they promote healthier and more environmentally-sustainable diets.
authors.affiliation: The Washington Center for Clinical Research, Washington, DC 20016, USA. aysha_akhtar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Aysha Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greger
authors.forename: Hope
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ferdowsian
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003141:Communicable Diseases; D004782:Environmental Health; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D024382:Professional Role