Many Americans make food choices based on cost and nutrition, but personal values such as animal welfare and environmental concerns also play a significant role in determining what ends up on our plates. However, a new study reveals that healthy eating may come at the expense of exploited workers, raising ethical questions about our dietary decisions.
Researchers from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, along with the University of Nottingham Rights Lab and School of Geography, have measured the risk of forced labor behind the ingredients in recommended U.S. diets. Their findings, published on October 8 in Nature Food, could influence how governments and institutions purchase food at scale.
Unveiling Forced Labor in Food Supply Chains
The International Labor Organization estimates that approximately 28 million people worldwide are currently trapped in forced labor, including within the United States. According to Jessica Decker Sparks, assistant professor at the Friedman School and corresponding author of the research, “Forced labor takes many forms, but most often it traps workers in jobs through isolation, dependencies on employers, exploitative pay schemes, and binding recruitment debt.”
The study analyzed the ingredients of five different diets: three recommended by federal dietary guidelines (Healthy U.S.-Style Diet, Healthy Mediterranean-Style Diet, and Healthy Vegetarian Diet); the 2019 EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet; and the current average American diet, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
“We found that recommended healthy diets could have higher or lower risk of forced labor compared with what Americans currently eat, depending on the mix of foods,” said Nicole Tichenor Blackstone, associate professor at the Friedman School and senior author of the paper.
Impact of Dietary Choices on Forced Labor Risk
The research revealed that protein foods were the biggest source of forced labor risk across the five diets studied, though the drivers varied. Livestock farming, for instance, involves risks associated with slaughtering, meat processing, and feed production. Handpicked fruits and nuts that require manual shelling also tend to have higher risks. The fishing industry, known for its high risk of forced labor, further complicates the picture.
The Healthy Mediterranean-Style diet, which emphasizes plant-based foods and seafood with some dairy and red meat, and the Healthy U.S.-Style diet, which includes a balanced mix of nutrient-dense foods with a relatively high amount of dairy, showed greater forced labor risk than the average American diet. Seafood, red meat, and dairy were significant contributors to this risk.
Conversely, the Healthy Vegetarian diet and the Planetary Health diet, both of which are predominantly plant-based with minimal meat and dairy, demonstrated lower risks. However, these diets still showed notable risk from nuts and seeds.
Implications for Policy and Consumer Choices
While individual food swaps may not eradicate forced labor, the study’s implications are far-reaching. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans influence what millions of children and adults consume through public programs like school lunches, and cities worldwide are using the Planetary Health Diet to guide purchasing policies.
“We hope our work represents a starting point for communities to shape dietary transitions that promote equity and justice alongside health and sustainability,” Blackstone stated.
To reduce forced labor in food supply chains, Sparks emphasizes the importance of empowering workers to shape solutions and supporting these with legally binding agreements that protect them from retaliation. Programs like the Fair Food Program demonstrate how farmworkers can drive real change when they have a seat at the table. Additionally, trade policies that block imports made with forced labor can help ensure that companies respecting workers’ rights are not undercut by exploitative practices abroad.
As awareness grows, the intersection of healthy eating and ethical sourcing is likely to become a more prominent consideration for consumers and policymakers alike. The findings of this study may serve as a catalyst for change, encouraging a shift towards more equitable and sustainable food systems.
