APART from negatively impacting the planet through rising global temperatures and extreme weather events, it has now been revealed that climate change is also to blame for weight gain.

According to findings published in Global Change Biology from scientists at Leiden University in the Netherlands, higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are reducing the nutritional quality of crops like wheat and rice, which contain less zinc, iron and proteins.

At the same time, the number of calories is increasing, which can contribute to obesity.

“With food security, we often think of whether people can fill their stomachs,” explained environmental scientist Sterre ter Haar.

“Our research emphasises that food security also means nutrient security.”

Scientists compared data from studies where crops were grown at various carbon dioxide levels and found that when the levels double, so too does the detrimental impact on the nutrients in the crops.

The scientists hope that their study will inspire further research and perhaps innovation in terms of how the farming industry can adapt to climate change in the future.

“Luckily, there’s lots of innovation in the Dutch food sector and we have strong research institutions that can study this,” said ter Haar.

“We really can make headway together,” he added.

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