Summary
This global modelling study paired international food price data from 150 countries with nutritionally balanced dietary scenarios to estimate the cost of transitioning to healthy and sustainable diets. The findings reveal stark inequality: whilst healthy diets were 22–34% cheaper in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, they were 18–29% more expensive in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. When combined with reductions in food waste and fuller cost accounting that included climate and health-care savings, healthy diets became up to 25–29% cheaper even in low-income countries, suggesting that affordability barriers are partially addressable through systemic rather than dietary changes alone.
UK applicability
As a high-income country, the United Kingdom would likely experience cost reductions from adopting healthy and sustainable diets similar to those modelled for upper-middle and high-income nations. The findings support UK policy efforts to promote sustainable diets by suggesting that cost need not be a barrier; however, the study does not disaggregate results by country and does not address UK-specific food systems, pricing structures, or policy contexts.
Key measures
Comparative cost of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns relative to current diets (percentage change); diet-related healthcare costs; greenhouse gas emission footprints and social cost of carbon; food waste; projections to 2050
Outcomes reported
The study estimated the costs of adopting healthy and sustainable dietary patterns (flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan) across 150 countries, and modelled how food waste reduction, socioeconomic development, and full cost accounting (including health-care and climate change costs) affect dietary affordability to 2050.
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