Sinead Moran MSc Student

Enquires into a Healthier, Greener, Less Greedier World

Health Co-Benefits of eating a sustainable diet

As discussed in other blog entries, eating a sustainable diet is vital if we are to reach the 2c target set down by the Paris Agreement [1]. Evidence for the environmental benefits of reducing consumption of meat and dairy products is continuing to build [2-6]. If we don’t begin to tackle the demand-side of agriculture, particularly meat and dairy consumption and current diets are left unchecked, agriculture will use up to 20 of the 23 GtCO2e yearly limit to 2050 [7].

blog4[Pic 1.] http://www.alexandermuench.com/Eat-Less-Meat-Editorial-Illustration

Furthermore, it’s important to acknowledge the ‘health co-benefits’ of eating an environmentally friendly sustainable diet. Focusing on meat and dairy consumption, a new study in the US has highlighted the benefits of substituting animal based protein with plant based proteins https://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2540540. It found that for every 3% calorie increase in plant protein the risk of death from all causes is reduced by 10%. It also emphasises a 12% reduced risk of death from heart disease [9].

In light of the fact that health concerns are more often than not, valued higher than environmental and climate change concerns, it is important to highlight the associated heath co-benefits of eating a sustainable diet [8]

The message is the same, eat less meat/dairy for a healthly you and a healthly planet 🙂

blog1[Pic 2.] https://www.babble.com/best-recipes/8-easy-ways-to-eat-less-meat/

References [numbered] link: http://www.plantagbiosciences.org/people/sinead-moran/bibliography/