Planetary Health Diet Could Save 40,000 Lives Every Day, Says New Report

A new report by the EAT-Lancet Commission suggests that if people globally adopted a plant-rich dietary pattern known as the Planetary Health Diet, it could avert as many as 40,000 early deaths each day. The diet emphasises abundant fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and a moderate intake of eggs, poultry, fish, dairy, and minimal red meat.  

Experts say the diet is linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and other noncommunicable diseases.  

Currently, about one-third of greenhouse gas emissions come from global food systems, while food production is also a major driver of deforestation, habitat loss, and water pollution.

"What we put on our plates can save millions of lives, cut billions of tonnes of emissions, halt the loss of biodiversity, and create a fairer food system," Prof Johan Rockstrom, who co-chaired the EAT-Lancet Commission that produced the report, told The Guardian. "The evidence is undeniable: transforming food systems is not only possible, it's essential to secure a safe, just, and sustainable future for all."

"This is not a deprivating diet," said Proffessor Walter Willett of the Harvard TH Chan school of public health, and another commission co-chair. "This is something that could be delicious, aspirational and healthy. It also allows for cultural diversity and individual preferences, providing flexibility."

The report calls for policy changes such as shifting taxes to make healthy foods more affordable, applying warning labels to unhealthy foods, cutting food waste, supporting sustainable farming, and improving labour conditions in food production. 

Researchers also highlight that despite sufficient global food production, 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, while 1 billion remain undernourished. The new framework aims to feed a projected 9.6 billion people by 2050 within the planet's ecological limits by aligning human nutrition with sustainability goals.