Tri Fajarwaty, Ahmad Syafiq, Ikeu Tanziha, Siti Khodijah Parinduri

Sustainable Diets in Southeast Asia: Development, Barriers, and Opportunities

Introduction

Sustainable diets in southeast asia: development, barriers, and opportunities. Explore sustainable diets in Southeast Asia, covering development, barriers, and opportunities. This review addresses dietary shifts, NCDs, and environmental impact, highlighting progress and challenges.

Abstract

Background: Southeast Asia is experiencing a dietary shift from traditional plant-based diets to Westernized, processed foods, contributing to rising non-communicable diseases and environmental degradation. Given the significant impact of global food production on greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater consumption, and biodiversity loss, promoting sustainable diets in Southeast Asia is critical. This review aims to explore the current progress, barriers, and opportunities in adopting sustainable diets across the region. Method: A scoping review was conducted using a systematic framework to map the existing literature on sustainable diets in Southeast Asia. A total of 37 studies were identified and analyzed to understand the progress, barriers, and opportunities in adopting sustainable diets. Results: The review shows varying levels of progress across Southeast Asia, with countries like Indonesia and Malaysia advancing through government policies and sustainable agriculture practices. However, economic, cultural, and infrastructural barriers hinder broader adoption. Promising opportunities include leveraging alternative protein sources and the region’s biodiversity. Conclusion: While Southeast Asia has substantial potential for implementing sustainable diets, overcoming economic, cultural, and infrastructural challenges will require coordinated efforts between governments, stakeholders, and communities. Collaborative action is necessary to promote food systems that benefit public health and the environment.

Review

This scoping review, "Sustainable Diets in Southeast Asia: Development, Barriers, and Opportunities," addresses a highly pertinent and critical issue within a region undergoing rapid dietary and environmental change. The authors effectively highlight the urgent need to transition towards sustainable diets in Southeast Asia, given the escalating rates of non-communicable diseases linked to Westernized dietary patterns and the significant ecological footprint of current food systems. The paper's aim to comprehensively map the existing literature on progress, barriers, and opportunities in this context is well-articulated, providing a valuable overview for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners alike. A significant strength of this work lies in its systematic scoping review methodology, which meticulously identified and analyzed 37 studies to synthesize current knowledge. The review successfully delineates the varying levels of progress across Southeast Asian countries, commendably citing examples such as Indonesia and Malaysia for their advancements in policy and sustainable agricultural practices. Crucially, the paper provides a clear categorization of the primary impediments to broader adoption, identifying economic, cultural, and infrastructural barriers as key challenges. Furthermore, it insightfully points to promising avenues for progress, particularly in harnessing alternative protein sources and the region's rich biodiversity, offering concrete directions for future intervention and innovation. While providing a robust overview, the review's broad scope naturally means that the depth of analysis into specific policies, cultural nuances, or the granular mechanisms of identified opportunities is limited. Future research building upon this foundation could benefit from more detailed case studies or mixed-methods approaches to explore the *how* and *why* behind successful interventions and persistent barriers. Nevertheless, the conclusion's emphasis on the necessity of coordinated efforts between governments, stakeholders, and communities is highly actionable and underscores the practical utility of this review. It serves as a strong call to action, providing a foundational understanding that can inform collaborative strategies for fostering food systems that concurrently enhance public health and environmental sustainability in Southeast Asia.

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