Summary
This paper models potential dietary transitions in China and quantifies the environmental and human health trade-offs across scenarios. The authors use integrated assessment modelling to evaluate how shifts towards higher consumption of animal products, plant-based foods, or other patterns would affect greenhouse gas emissions, resource use, and population health outcomes including micronutrient status and non-communicable disease risk. The analysis highlights tensions between environmental sustainability and nutritional adequacy in dietary recommendations for large populations.
UK applicability
Whilst this study focuses on China's specific dietary context and food systems, its methodological approach to quantifying environmental–health trade-offs in dietary transitions is relevant to UK policy discussions around sustainable healthy eating. The findings may inform UK Eatwell Guide revision and food systems policy, though Chinese agricultural and disease burden profiles differ substantially.
Key measures
Greenhouse gas emissions, land-use change, water stress, nutrient adequacy (micronutrients), chronic disease burden and mortality risk associated with alternative dietary scenarios
Outcomes reported
The study examined potential shifts in Chinese dietary patterns and assessed the associated environmental impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water stress) and health outcomes (nutrient adequacy, chronic disease risk) at the population level.
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