Increasing CO2 threatens human nutrition

  • Samuel S. Myers
  • , Antonella Zanobetti
  • , Itai Kloog
  • , Peter Huybers
  • , Andrew D.B. Leakey
  • , Arnold J. Bloom
  • , Eli Carlisle
  • , Lee H. Dietterich
  • , Glenn Fitzgerald
  • , Toshihiro Hasegawa
  • , N. Michele Holbrook
  • , Randall L. Nelson
  • , Michael J. Ottman
  • , Victor Raboy
  • , Hidemitsu Sakai
  • , Karla A. Sartor
  • , Joel Schwartz
  • , Saman Seneweera
  • , Michael Tausz
  • , Yasuhiro Usui

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1156 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dietary deficiencies of zinc and iron are a substantial global public health problem. An estimated two billion people suffer these deficiencies, causing a loss of 63 million life-years annually. Most of these people depend on C 3 grains and legumes as their primary dietary source of zinc and iron. Here we report that C 3 grains and legumes have lower concentrations of zinc and iron when grown under field conditions at the elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentration predicted for the middle of this century. C 3 crops other than legumes also have lower concentrations of protein, whereas C 4 crops seem to be less affected. Differences between cultivars of a single crop suggest that breeding for decreased sensitivity to atmospheric CO 2 concentration could partly address these new challenges to global health.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)139-142
Number of pages4
JournalNature
Volume510
Issue number7503
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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