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Summary

The EAT–Lancet Commission report, led by Willett and colleagues and published in The Lancet in 2019, set out a 'planetary health diet' intended to simultaneously address human nutritional needs and operate within Earth's ecological limits. Drawing on modelling and evidence synthesis across nutrition science and environmental science, the authors proposed reference intakes for major food groups — emphasising plant-based foods and substantially reduced red meat and sugar consumption. The report is widely cited as a foundational policy-relevant framework linking dietary change to sustainable food systems transformation.

UK applicability

The planetary health diet framework is directly relevant to UK food and nutrition policy, including debates around the National Food Strategy and net-zero agricultural commitments; however, the modelled dietary targets are global in scope and do not account for UK-specific dietary patterns, agricultural structure, or the role of grass-fed livestock systems in the British landscape.

Key measures

Dietary intake targets (g/day per food group); planetary boundary metrics (GHG emissions, land use, water use, nitrogen and phosphorus flows, biodiversity); mortality and disease burden estimates

Outcomes reported

The Commission modelled dietary patterns capable of feeding 10 billion people within planetary boundaries by 2050, reporting targets for food group consumption alongside environmental impact metrics including greenhouse gas emissions, land use, freshwater use, and biodiversity loss.

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