Marie Michaelsen Bjøntegaard

• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Paulsen, Mari Mohn; Oort, Bob Van & Andersen, Lene Frost (2025). Food procurement in upper secondary schools in a Norwegian county: nutritional quality and environmental impacts. Food & Nutrition Research (FNR). ISSN 1654-6628. 69, p. 1–11. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v69.12600. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Public food procurement has the potential to play a significant role in transforming the food system. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional quality and environmental impacts of food procurement in public upper secondary schools within a large county in Norway. Design: A cross-sectional study with food procurement data from 35 upper secondary school canteens, analysed using a food-and-nutrient calculation system at the University of Oslo, which also includes a life cycle assessment (LCA) food database. Results: Food procurement amongst school canteens did not align with guidelines for food and meals in upper secondary schools and recommendations for nutritional considerations in public food procurement. There was considerable variability between the schools’ food procurement regarding nutritional quality and environmental impacts. However, on average, high levels of saturated fat and added sugar, as well as inadequate levels of folate, vitamin D, iron and iodine, were observed. Red meat and dairy products exhibited the most significant environmental impacts between the food groups. Discussion: Few studies have utilised food procurement data to evaluate nutritional quality and environmental impacts of school meals. Using food procurement instead of actual consumption data introduces some uncertainties, including limited knowledge about the amount of food waste, quantities actually consumed and demographics of the canteen users. Identifying key nutrients of concern can be invaluable in guiding meal planning and food procurement, especially in a school setting. Our environmental analysis supported current literature by illustrating the high impact of animal-based foods relative to plant-based foods. Conclusions: The present study found both nutritional and environmental limitations in food procurement in public upper secondary schools in a large Norwegian county. Encouraging procurement of plant-based proteins and sustainably sourced fish whilst reducing purchases of full-fat dairy products would better align with the guidelines for food and meals in schools and reduce the environmental impact. Moreover, significant variability in procurement practices that do not comply with the guidelines suggests a need for clearer guidance and follow-up.

• Carlsen, Monica Hauger; Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Oort, Bob van; Jafarzadeh, Sepideh; Mehta, Shraddha & Wright, Ellen Cecilie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Environmental impact of Norwegian food and beverages: compilation of a life cycle assessment food database. Food & Nutrition Research (FNR). ISSN 1654-6628. 69, p. 10645–10645. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v69.10645. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Food production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Climate and environmental impacts from food production vary across geographical areas. To estimate these impacts of food and diets, country-specific data are needed. Objective: This project aimed to compile an environmental impact food database, including the impact categories (ICs) global warming potential, soil acidification, freshwater and saltwater eutrophication, water use and land use, representative of the Norwegian diet. Design: The compilation was based on literature searches for original life cycle assessment (LCA) studies on foods, including domestic and imported foods, which constitute the habitual diet in Norway. Food items of importance in the average Norwegian diet were identified based on the national dietary survey Norkost 3. The study’s generic system boundaries included impacts from farm to fork: production, processing, packaging, transportation, storage and food preparation at home. Conversion factors for edible portions were applied when relevant. When LCA data of a certain food were missing, data from foods with similar cultivation conditions and nutritional composition were used as proxies. Data from other LCA food databases were also used if original LCA studies were not identified, or the LCA studies found were evaluated as being of poor quality. Results: The compiled database is tailored specifically for and covers main animal- and plant-based foods in the Norwegian diet. Discussion: Limitations of the compilation project include the fact that most LCA studies identified in the present project covered ICs up to the farm gate and used varying methodology. Also, proxy values were used when data for specific food items were missing. These methodological issues introduce variability and complicate direct comparisons. The strength of the present study is the thorough work in compiling and filling data gaps for the IC values of foods in the Norwegian diet. Conclusions: The Norwegian LCA food database enables simultaneous estimation of food and nutrient intakes and estimation of climate and environmental impacts of Norwegian diets.

• Lengle, Julie Marie; Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Carlsen, Monica Hauger; Jafarzadeh, Sepideh & Andersen, Lene Frost (2024). Environmental impact of Norwegian self-selected diets: comparing current intake with national dietary guidelines and EAT-Lancet targets. Public Health Nutrition (PHN). ISSN 1368-9800. 27(1). doi: 10.1017/S1368980024000715. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objectives: Dietary environmental impact in a Norwegian adult population was estimated for six environmental impact categories. Moreover, environmental benefits of scenario diets complying with the Norwegian Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) and the EAT-Lancet reference diet were assessed. Design: The current diet of Norwegian adults was estimated according to 24-h dietary recall data from a national dietary surveillance survey (Norkost 3). Scenario diets were modelled to represent the Norwegian FBDG and the EAT-Lancet healthy reference diet. Dietary environmental impact in terms of global warming potential, freshwater and marine eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, water use and transformation and use of land was estimated for the current and scenario diets using environmental impact data representative of the Norwegian market. Significant associations between impact and gender/educational attainment were assessed at P < 0·05. Setting: Norway. Participants: Adults (n=1787) aged 18–70 years who participated in the Norkost 3 survey (2010–2011). Results: Environmental impact varied significantly by gender and educational attainment. The food groups contributing most to environmental impact of Norwegian diets were meat, dairy, beverages, grains and composite dishes. Compared with the current Norwegian diet, the FBDG scenario reduced impacts from 2 % (freshwater eutrophication) to 32 % (water use), while the EAT-Lancet scenario reduced impacts from 7 % (marine eutrophication) to 61 % (land use). The EAT-Lancet scenario resulted in 3–48 % larger reductions in impact than the FBDG scenario. Conclusions: The Norwegian FBDG, while not as environmentally friendly as the EAT-Lancet reference diet, can still be an important tool in lessening environmental burden of Norwegian diets.

• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Molin, Marianne; Kolby, Marit & Torheim, Liv Elin (2023). Purchase of ultra-processed foods in Norway: A repeated cross-sectional analysis of food sales in 2013 and 2019. Public Health Nutrition (PHN). ISSN 1368-9800. 26(9), p. 1743–1753. doi: 10.1017/S1368980023001192. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective: A dietary pattern dominated by ultra-processed foods has been associated with non-communicable diseases in several studies. A previous study from 2013 found a high share of ultra-processed foods in Norwegian food sales. This study aimed to investigate the current share of ultra-processed foods in Norway and the development in expenditure on ultra-processed foods from 2013. Design: A repeated cross-sectional analysis of scanner data from the Consumer Price Index from September 2013 and 2019 and an investigation of the processing degree according to the NOVA classification system. Setting: Food sales in Norway. Participants: Norwegian grocery stores (n 180, for both time periods). Results: The share of expenditure in 2019 was highest for ultra-processed foods (46·5 %) and minimally or unprocessed foods (36·3 %), followed by processed foods (8·5 %) and processed culinary ingredients (1·3 %). An increasing degree of processing was found for several of the food groups between 2013 and 2019; however, most effect sizes were weak. In 2019, soft drinks became the most frequently purchased food item, surpassing milk and cheese, with the highest expenditure in Norwegian grocery stores. Increases in expenditure on ultra- processed foods were mainly due to increased expenditures on soft drinks, sweets and potato products. Conclusions: A high share of expenditure on ultra-processed food was found in Norway, which may imply a high consumption of these foods. The change in expenditure of NOVA groups between 2013 and 2019 was small. Carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks were the most frequently purchased products in Norwegian grocery stores and contributed to most of the expenditures.

• Wright, Ellen Cecilie; Oort, Bob van; Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Carlsen, Monica Hauger & Andersen, Lene Frost (2023). Environmental and nutritional assessment of young children’s diets in Norway: comparing the current diet with national dietary guidelines and the EAT-Lancet reference diet. European Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 1436-6207. 62, p. 3383–3396. doi: 10.1007/s00394-023-03243-4. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose Introducing healthy and sustainable diets early in life can promote lifelong healthy dietary patterns with a low environmental impact. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the environmental and nutritional consequences of a dietary change for 2-year-old children in Norway towards healthier dietary patterns. Methods Environmental impacts of the current habitual diet among 2-year-olds (n = 1413) were estimated for six impact categories and compared with scenario diets based on the Norwegian food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) and the EAT-Lancet Commission reference diet. Last, we evaluated the nutritional adequacy of the diets against the Norwegian nutrition recommendations for children aged 2–5 years. The current diet was assessed by an FFQ. Results Environmental impacts of the current habitual diet were up to two times higher than those of the scenario diets. Compared with the current diet, impacts from the FBDG scenario diet were reduced by 35% for water use and 18% for terrestrial acidification, whereas impacts from the EAT-Lancet scenario diet were reduced by 51% for water use, 57% for terrestrial acidification, 36% for global warming potential and 27% for freshwater eutrophication. Milk and dairy products were the main contributors to environmental impacts in both the current diet and the FBDG scenario diet. The scenario diets were nutritionally adequate and improved the dietary quality among Norwegian 2-year-olds. Conclusion Compared to current diets among young children, more plant-based dietary patterns in line with national FBDG or the EAT-Lancet Commission reference diet can improve the nutritional adequacy of diets and simultaneously reduce environmental impacts.

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• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen & Andersen, Lene Frost (2026). Mapping study: Healthy, sustainable and resilient public plates. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Formålet med denne studien var å kartlegge prosjekter og initiativer som jobber for å oppnå sunnere og mer bærekraftig offentlig innkjøp av mat i Norge, samt prosjekter med fokus på å styrke lokal og nasjonal matberedskap. Det ble utført et litteratursøk med fokus på grålitteratur. Videre ble relevante personer invitert til å fylle ut et digitalt spørreskjema. Kartleggingen identifiserte 107 prosjekter og initiativer. Prosjektene fokuserte hovedsakelig på innkjøp av bærekraftig mat, der innkjøp av lokalmat var høyest prioritert, etterfulgt av aspekter som økologi, matsvinn og klimavennlig mat. Innkjøp av både sunn og bærekraftig mat ble i mindre grad prioritert (~31% av prosjekter), mens kun 2% av prosjektene jobbet for sunnere innkjøp.

• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen (2025). Endring og omstilling – er det mulig? Full text in Research Archive
• Andersen, Lene Frost & Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen (2025). Offentlig matinnkjøp – hvordan kan det gjøres mer sunt og bærekraftig? Full text in Research Archive
• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Paulsen, Mari Mohn; Oort, Bob van & Andersen, Lene Frost (2024). Food procurement in Norwegian upper secondary schools: Nutritional quality and environmental impact. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Paulsen, Mari Mohn; Oort, Bob van & Andersen, Lene Frost (2024). Food procurement in Norwegian upper secondary schools: Nutritional quality and environmental impact. Norsk tidsskrift for ernæring (NTFE). ISSN 1503-5034. 22(5). doi: 10.18261/ntfe. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background and objectives: Public procurement may accelerate the transition to a more sustainable food system by stimulating access to, and demand for, healthy foods with a lower impact on climate and the environment. Currently, there is limited information about the potential use of public procurement as a tool for healthier and more sustainable diets. First, this study aimed to investigate the nutritional quality and environmental impact of food procurement among upper secondary schools in former Viken County in Norway. Second, we aimed to examine the nutritional and environmental impacts of changes in food procurement after one year of intervention for healthier and more sustainable school canteens, organised by former Viken County in collaboration with the guidance service “Matvalget”. Methods: The main sample included procurement data for a fiscal quarter from 38 upper secondary schools, including data from 36 and 17 schools in 2022 and in 2023, respectively. The subsample analysis included baseline and follow-up data after one year of intervention, for 8 schools that participated in the intervention and 7 control schools without intervention. After extensive data processing, data was imported to the nutritional calculation system Kostberegningssystemet (KBS, version AE-22) at the University of Oslo. KBS enables estimation of nutritional content and environmental impact of the procurement data, including greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication of freshwater and marine waters, soil acidification, land- and water use. Results: Preliminary results for the main sample show that soft drinks contributed to the largest share (in grams) of the procurement, followed by milk (including flavoured milk), fresh/frozen vegetables, and bread. The preliminary subsample analysis found a lower share of soft drinks, and increased shares of milk, white unprocessed meat and vegetable oils in the intervention schools compared to control schools. Further results from the analysis will be available in spring 2024. Discussion: The preliminary subsample analysis suggests nutritional improvements in the procurement pattern for intervention schools, however further investigation is required to conclude. Public procurement data from electronic invoices require extensive data processing before analysis to be utilized as a tool for healthier and sustainable diets and there is a need to standardize input to increase usability of the data.

• Bjøntegaard, Marie Michaelsen; Carlsen, Monica Hauger; Wright, Ellen Cecilie & Andersen, Lene Frost (2023). Poster Throne Holst Symposium 2023: Compilation of an environmental LCA food database. Full text in Research Archive

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