Summary
This global integrated modelling study examined the health and environmental trade-offs of three approaches to sustainable diets across more than 150 countries using a comparative risk assessment framework. The analysis combined nutrient-level assessment, mortality estimation, and environmental footprint analysis to evaluate whether plant-based substitution, addressing weight disorders, and adoption of energy-balanced dietary patterns could simultaneously improve population health and reduce environmental burden. The findings suggest that environmental objectives achieved through plant-based food substitution were particularly effective in high-income countries for both improving nutrient adequacy and lowering premature mortality.
UK applicability
As a high-income country, the United Kingdom would likely benefit from the study's finding that plant-based dietary shifts improve both nutrient levels and reduce mortality in similar contexts. However, country-specific application would require examination of UK-level food supply data, baseline dietary patterns, and regional nutrient density variability, which may differ from global averages.
Key measures
Nutrient intake and adequacy; diet and weight-related chronic disease mortality (comparative risk assessment); greenhouse gas emissions; cropland use; freshwater use; nitrogen application; phosphorus application
Outcomes reported
The study modelled nutrient adequacy, diet-related and weight-related chronic disease mortality, and five environmental impact metrics (greenhouse gas emissions, cropland use, freshwater use, nitrogen and phosphorus application) across 150+ countries under three sets of dietary scenarios. It estimated the joint health and environmental effects of replacing animal-source foods with plant-based alternatives, addressing undernutrition and overweight/obesity, and adopting energy-balanced dietary patterns (flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan).
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