Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Obesity and climate change: co-crises with common solutions

Paul Behrens; Catherine M. Champagne; Jason C. G. Halford; Marj Moodie; Joseph Proietto; Guy A. Rutter; Katherine Samaras; Jeff M. P. Holly

Frontiers in Science · 2025

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Summary

This paper, authored by a multidisciplinary team spanning nutrition, endocrinology, public health, and climate science, explores the conceptual and practical convergence of the obesity epidemic and climate change as interlinked crises sharing common structural drivers. It argues, in all likelihood, that food system transformation — including shifts toward plant-rich diets and reduced ultra-processed food consumption — offers co-benefits for both planetary and human health. The paper appears to make a case for integrated policy responses that address both challenges concurrently rather than in isolation.

UK applicability

The findings are broadly applicable to the UK context, where obesity rates remain high and the government has committed to net-zero targets; integrated food and health policy frameworks such as the National Food Strategy and NHS sustainability agendas provide relevant entry points for the co-benefits approach described.

Key measures

Dietary patterns; greenhouse gas emissions; obesity prevalence; co-benefit indicators across health and environmental domains

Outcomes reported

The paper likely examines the overlapping drivers of obesity and climate change, identifying dietary and food system interventions that could simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve population health outcomes.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Diet, health & planetary boundaries
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Food supply chain
DOI
10.3389/fsci.2025.1613595
Catalogue ID
NRmo3f02hq-0b4

Topic tags

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