Healthier and More Sustainable Diet: Changing Food Consumption Can Affect Economy, Society, Environment

Diet is one of the key factors that influence human health and well-being. A healthy diet can prevent or reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.

It can also improve the sustainability of the food system by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, and biodiversity loss associated with food production and consumption.

In a new study, published in the journal Nature Food, researchers from Wageningen University & Research have used a global economic model to investigate how a shift to the EAT-Lancet diet, which is based on scientific evidence for optimal human health and environmental sustainability, would affect various aspects of the food system and beyond.

Economic side effects

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One of the economic side effects of changing our diet is the effect on food prices and incomes.

The study showed that shifting to the EAT-Lancet diet would reduce the global demand for food and biomass by about 10%, mainly due to lower calorie intake in high-income regions, as per Phys.org.

This would lower the average prices of biomass and land by about 20%, making it cheaper to produce food and other products.

However, this would also reduce the demand for labor and capital in the agricultural sector, leading to lower wages and incomes for farmers and workers.

This would affect especially low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is a major source of employment and livelihood.

Moreover, lower food prices would reduce the incentives for agricultural innovation and productivity growth, which are essential for ensuring food security and reducing poverty.

Another economic side effect of changing our diet is the effect on non-food sectors.

The study further showed that shifting to the EAT-Lancet diet would increase the disposable income of consumers in high-income regions by about 1%, as they would spend less on food.

This would increase their demand for non-food products and services, such as clothing, electronics, entertainment, health care, and education.

This would stimulate the growth of non-food sectors, creating more jobs and incomes for workers in these sectors.

However, this would also increase the production and consumption of non-food products and services, which are often more resource-intensive and emission-intensive than food products.

This would increase the environmental impact of non-food sectors, such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water use, waste generation, and pollution.

Environmental side effects

One of the environmental side effects of changing our diet is the effect on greenhouse gas emissions.

The study shows that shifting to the EAT-Lancet diet would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food production by about 25%, mainly due to lower animal product consumption in high-income regions.

This would contribute to mitigating climate change and its adverse effects on human health and ecosystems.

However, this would also increase greenhouse gas emissions from non-food production by about 15%, mainly due to higher non-food consumption in high-income regions.

This would offset some of the emission reductions from food production and limit the potential of dietary change for climate action.

The study estimates that changing our diet would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by only 5% in 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

Another environmental side effect of changing our diet is the effect on land use and biodiversity.

The study shows that shifting to the EAT-Lancet diet would reduce land use for food production by about 10%, mainly due to lower animal product consumption in high-income regions.

This would free up land for other purposes, such as reforestation, conservation, or bioenergy production.

However, this would also increase land use for non-food production by about 5%, mainly due to higher non-food consumption in high-income regions.

This would reduce the availability of land for other purposes and increase the pressure on natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

Also Read: How Different Diet Strategies Can Help in Combating Climate Change

Social side effects

One of the social side effects of changing our diet is the effect on health and nutrition.

The study showed that shifting to the EAT-Lancet diet would improve health and nutrition outcomes for most people in most regions, especially in high-income regions where overconsumption of calories, fats, sugars, and salts is prevalent.

This would reduce the burden of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers, and save millions of lives and health care costs.

However, this would also worsen health and nutrition outcomes for some people in some regions, especially in low-income regions where underconsumption of calories, proteins, vitamins, and minerals is prevalent.

This would increase the risk of malnutrition, stunting, anemia, and infectious diseases, and affect millions of lives and development prospects.

Another social side effect of changing our diet is the effect on culture and identity.

It would require major changes in dietary patterns and preferences for many people in many regions, especially in high-income regions where animal products are widely consumed and valued, challenging the cultural and personal meanings and values attached to food and eating, such as taste, tradition, religion, status, and identity.

This would also affect the social and economic roles and relations of food producers and consumers, such as farmers, traders, processors, retailers, chefs, and customers, and would require adaptation and transformation of food systems and institutions, such as markets, policies, regulations, standards, education, and communication.

The study concluded that changing our diet can have unexpected negative economic, social, and environmental impacts that need to be taken into account when designing and implementing dietary interventions.

Researchers suggested that dietary change should be accompanied by complementary measures that address the indirect or hidden costs and benefits of changing our diet

Related article: A Focus on Sustainability: A Diet for More Ethical Consumption