Reported foodservice environmental sustainability practices in Australian healthcare and aged care services pre and post the onset of COVID-19.

Autor: MacKenzie-Shalders K; Nutrition and Dietetics Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia., Higgs J; Nutrition and Dietetics Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia., Cruickshank D; Statewide Foodservices, Department of Dietetics and Foodservices, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia., Tang X; Nutrition and Dietetics Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia., Collins J; Monash University, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Level 1, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Nutrition & dietetics : the journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia [Nutr Diet] 2024 Dec 10. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Dec 10.
DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12916
Abstrakt: Aims: Healthcare foodservices substantially impact global environmental changes. This study investigated environmentally sustainable practices in Australian health foodservices; and perceptions of the influence of COVID-19 on foodservice environmental sustainability.
Methods: An observational study was undertaken collecting data at two time points (2019 and 2022) via a pre-workshop survey with healthcare foodservice stakeholders. The survey used rating scales and free text options to explore sustainable practices, perceived barriers and enablers to sustainable practices, and a free-text response on the impact of COVID-19. Analysis included independent samples t-tests (continuous, normally distributed), Mann-Whitney U tests (continuous non-normally distributed data), and Pearson chi-squared tests (categorical data). A qualitative analysis of free text responses to a single question about the impact of COVID-19 was used to identify, analyse, and report positive and negative aspects of COVID-19 for sustainable foodservice practices.
Results: Demographic and employment characteristics were similar between timepoints n = 37 (2019) and n = 30 (2022), except for number who had attended sustainability training (n = 14, 38.8% vs n = 19, 63.3%; p = 0.038). There were fewer private hospital (n = 6, 16.2% vs n = 0), (0%) and more rural site representation in 2022 (n = 2, 5.4% vs n = 13, 43.3%; p <0.001). Sustainable foodservice practices were consistent across timepoints (overall mean (SD) sum score for sustainable practices 63.3 (20.7) vs 61.3 (20.4); p = 0.715), with recycling cardboard (n = 27, 90.0% vs n = 22, 84.6%), and the use of reusable cutlery (n = 26, 86.7% vs n = 22, 84.6%) the most prevalent practices at both timepoints. A 'lack of equipment' was the primary reported barrier while passionate staff ("champions") was the primary reported enabler. Participants reported that the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in single-use disposable items.
Conclusions: This study describes negligible changes in reported environmental sustainability practices by Australian healthcare foodservice stakeholders from 2019 to 2022. The study provides useful information on sustainability beliefs and practices in healthcare foodservices.
(© 2024 Dietitians Australia.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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