A global shift to plant-based diets could significantly improve people's health and combat climate change. Researchers from the Oxford Martin School have predicted huge benefits if populations around the world reduce meat consumption and increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Here are the main findings from their study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS):
Health benefits
- Lives saved: Adopting diets compliant with global dietary guidelines could prevent up to 5.1 million deaths each year by 2050. Vegetarian diets could avoid 7.3 million deaths, while vegan diets could avoid 8.1 million deaths.
- Dietary Guidelines: These guidelines recommend minimum amounts of fruits and vegetables and limit intake of red meat, sugar, and total calories.
- Reducing the health burden: Roughly half of the deaths avoided were attributed to reduced red meat consumption, while the other half were due to increased fruit and vegetable consumption and lower caloric intake, reducing obesity rates.
Impact on the environment
- Greenhouse gas emissions: The food system is currently responsible for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions.
- Emissions forecasts: By 2050, food-related emissions could account for half of the emissions allowed to limit global warming to below 2°C.
- Reducing emissions: Global dietary guidelines can reduce food-related emissions by 29%, vegetarian diets by 63% and vegan diets by 70%.
Economic benefits
- Health Care Savings: Switching to healthier diets could save $700-1,000 billion a year in health care costs, unpaid informal care, and lost work days.
- Assessment of reduced risk of death: The economic value placed on reducing the risk of death could be as much as 9-13% of global GDP, equal to 20-30 trillion dollars.
- Climate-related economic benefits: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from dietary changes could provide up to $570 billion in economic benefits.
Implications for policy makers
- Public and private expenditures: The study highlights the need for increased investment in programs that promote healthier and more environmentally sustainable diets.
- Social benefits: Dr. Marco Springmann, lead author of the study, emphasizes the huge societal benefits of dietary changes, advocating for policies that support these transitions.
Shifting to diets that depend less on meat and more on plant foods can have profound effects on human health and the environment. These changes could save millions of lives, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and bring significant economic benefits. The study provides a strong case for global shifts in diets and the implementation of policies that promote healthier eating habits for a sustainable future.
