Assessing land requirements associated with UK food consumption: implications for food security and environmental sustainability

In a globalised world, the consumption and production of food are becoming increasingly disconnected. This disconnection increases reliance on external resources and decreases the self-sufficiency of countries, and could have implications for population dietary health. Furthermore, population growth and global dietary change towards the consumption of more animal products are increasing the stress on already scarce global land resources. As it is increasingly recognised that dietary recommendations should also consider the environmental impacts of our food consumption, it is important to investigate the land requirements for food (LRF) of the current UK diet. This will not only contribute to our understanding of what comprises a sustainable diet; it will also show the degree of self-sufficiency of the United Kingdom.