Plant-based diet can ward off chronic diseases, keep planet healthy: Report
A new report from the Lancet Commission highlights how switching to a plant-based diet can transform both human health and the environment. Released on Friday, the study urges people to focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and moderate amounts of poultry and eggs. This approach not only cuts the risk of chronic diseases but also eases pressures on climate change and biodiversity loss.
Food systems play a huge role in today’s biggest global problems, the report explains. They fuel chronic diseases, widen inequality, and speed up climate change while wiping out biodiversity. In fact, food production alone generates nearly 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. It also drives issues like land overuse, water shortages, nutrient pollution, and the spread of pesticides and antibiotics.
The solution? Adopt the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), a flexible, plant-rich eating plan that’s backed by science. This sustainable diet sets a clear path for healthy, fair food systems worldwide. Pair it with efforts to halve global food loss and waste, and it could boost public health, heal the planet, and feed a projected 9.6 billion people by 2050.
Shifting to better diets and food systems might prevent up to 15 million premature deaths each year, the report estimates. That’s by tackling diet-related killers like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
“Food systems contribute to many crises we face today, but they’re also the key to fixing them,” said Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, co-chair of the commission and director for nutrition, health, and food security at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). “Our report shows the evidence: We need bold, equitable action now. The choices we make will shape health for people and the planet for generations.”
First launched in 2019, the PHD emphasizes plant foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. It allows moderate portions of animal products—think red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy—while cutting back on added sugars, saturated fats, and salt to fight chronic diseases.
Sticking to this healthy eating plan links to big wins: lower risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and obesity. Overall, it could slash premature death risk by 27% compared to typical diets today.
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