A Planet-Friendly Diet Can Make You Live Longer! – One Green Planet
A recent study highlights the impact of adopting a planet-friendly diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This dietary approach not only significantly reduces the risk of premature death by nearly one-third but also dramatically decreases the release of greenhouse gases that contribute to Climate change.
“Eating more whole plant foods, less animal foods, and less highly processed foods is better for people and planet alike,” remarked Dr. David Katz, an expert in preventive and lifestyle medicine, who was not involved in the study. Katz, the founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, emphasized that such dietary patterns are beneficial for both human health and sustainability.
The climate crisis is deeply intertwined with food production. Raising livestock for human consumption demands vast agricultural land, leading to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water Pollution. Methane emissions from livestock, especially cattle, sheep, and goats, are particularly concerning. According to the UN Environment Programme, methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years. Remarkably, one cow can produce up to 500 liters of methane daily, contributing to nearly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The study revealed that adopting a planet-healthy diet could reduce land use by 51%, greenhouse gas emissions by 29%, and fertilizer use by 21%, while also extending human life expectancy. “Changing how we eat can help slow Climate change, and fortunately what’s healthiest for the planet is also best for us,” noted Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the study’s corresponding author.
Participants who closely adhered to the planetary health diet exhibited a lower risk of death from major causes, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory illnesses. The EAT-Lancet Commission, comprising 37 scientists from 16 countries, developed this diet in 2019, aiming to maximize human health while minimizing the environmental impact of feeding the global population. The diet promotes a higher intake of diverse fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and plant-based proteins while reducing meat and dairy consumption.
Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study analyzed dietary data from over 200,000 individuals involved in long-term government studies. These participants provided detailed dietary information every four years over 34 years, enabling researchers to assess adherence to the Eat-Lancet dietary guidelines. The diets were scored based on 15 food groups, with a focus on foods that require fewer resources to produce, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and unsaturated plant oils.
The findings underscore the significant benefits of following the planetary health diet. The top 10% of adherents were 30% less likely to die prematurely from any cause compared to the bottom 10%. Additionally, they had a 28% lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality, a 14% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 10% lower risk of cancer, and a 47% lower risk of respiratory disease.
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