A holistic approach: Incorporating sustainability into our diet by following the EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations

The food we consume, production methods, and waste have significant impacts on human health and environmental sustainability. A diet focusing on plant-based foods and fewer animal-based foods is beneficial for both people and the planet. Agriculture occupies 40% of global land, contributing to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of freshwater use. Animal-based foods, particularly red meat, have high environmental footprints. Malnutrition is a major issue, with over 820 million people experiencing hunger daily and 150 million children suffering from long-term hunger. Over 2 billion adults are overweight and obese, and diet-related diseases are leading causes of global deaths. The EAT-Lancet dietary guidelines, published in 2019, presents a global planetary health diet that is healthy for both people and planet. The EAT-Lancet Commission recommends a plant-based diet, reducing animal products, promoting healthy fats, focusing on whole grains and fibre-rich carbohydrates, diversifying protein sources, promoting portion control, and promoting environmental sustainability. Shifting from unhealthy diets to this diet could prevent 11 million premature adult deaths annually and drive a sustainable global food system by 2050. These guidelines promote human health and environmental sustainability, aiming to transform the global food system to sustainably feed a growing population while preserving the planet. Appropriate policy actions from stakeholders for making healthy sustainable diets and micronutrient-rich foods available and affordable to all with a particular focus on the poor and rural populations should be considered.