Integration of nutritional and sustainability metrics in food security assessment: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Food security and sustainability are interconnected, yet the integration of nutritional and environmental metrics into food security assessments remains insufficiently explored. Objectives: This scoping review maps the literature on the integration of nutritional and sustainability metrics in food security, investigating the methods used, existing findings, and research gaps. A special focus is placed on Eastern Europe, including the Republic of Moldova, due to shared challenges in food security and the potential for adapting validated methodologies from this region. Eligibility Criteria and Sources of Evidence: His study includes articles from Web of Science and Scopus (2015–2025), published in English and Romanian, that analyze food security alongside nutritional and sustainability factors, following the Population, Concept, Context (PCC) framework. Charting Methods: The extracted data were synthesized narratively and visualized thematically, analyzing temporal trends and the geographical distribution of studies. Results: Out of 247 identified publications, 115 were included. The use of sustainability indicators has increased since 2020; however, economic and social dimensions remain underexplored. Conclusions: Developing an integrated methodological framework is essential for correlating the nutritional, ecological, and economic impact of food consumption. Future research should prioritize the development of standardized methodologies and broaden the scope of analysis, particularly in underrepresented regions such as Eastern Europe.