Eatwell Guide could reduce adult diets’ GHG emissions by 30%, says BNF review

16 Aug 2021 --- A review paper from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) is stressing that several changes are still required in high-income countries to make UK diets more environmentally sustainable and healthier.

“We know that establishing and maintaining dietary changes is difficult,” corresponding study author Dr. Simon Steenson, nutrition scientist at the BNF, tells NutritionInsight. 

“Although many people may be interested in eating a healthier and more sustainable diet, they might not know exactly how to do this or what the impact is of their current diet.”

The Eatwell Guide 
The BNF review is highlighting that adhering to the Eatwell Guide, a diet set forth by the UK National Health Service (NHS), could lower the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of adult diets by 30 percent. 

According to the Eatwell Guide, fruits and vegetables should make up a third of diets, with starchy food contributing another third. Low-fat dairy is advised, followed by recommendations for eating at least two portions of fish every week. All types of high-energy fats should be eaten sparingly, but the guide recommends drinking six to eight cups or glasses of water a day.

Currently, less than 1 percent of the UK population achieves all of the Eatwell Guide recommendations.Adhering to this diet is likely to improve the health of the UK population by reducing the number of new cases of heart disease, stroke, cancer and Type 2 diabetes, according to the UK NHS.

Making fruits & veg juicy again 
Currently, less than 1 percent of the UK population achieves all of the Eatwell Guide recommendations. Steenson flags only roughly a third of UK adults and about one in ten adolescents manage to achieve the five-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetables.

“Finding ways to get more fruit and vegetables into our diets is important, but we need to consider how we can make this an easier option for consumers, as taste, price and convenience often take priority.” 

Steenson suggests opting for fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables to recipes when cooking, having a piece of fruit as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or adding frozen or chopped fruit to breakfast cereals in the morning. 

Food waste hikes up GHG emissions 
With the importance of human and planetary health running in parallel as key drivers in consumer purchasing decisions, Steenson spotlights. Increasing fresh produce intake should not result in higher levels of food waste as an unintended consequence.

Crucially, a third of food produced globally goes to waste, according to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports agriculture is a major contributor to global environmental change, contributing 17 percent of GHG emissions. Land use changes contribute an additional 7 to 14 percent. That equates to approximately 9.3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent emissions, according to 2018 FAO data.

“Many people in the UK don’t appear to recognize the link between wasting food and climate change. Therefore, raising awareness of the potential environmental and cost benefits of throwing away less food is an area with potential for a ‘win-win’ for the public,” says Steenson. 

Understanding the overlap between health and the environment is lacking in other ways, he continues. “Many people know that foods high in fat, salt and sugar are not healthy choices, but might not realize that these foods can also make a notable contribution to dietary environmental footprints, especially if eaten often or in large amounts.” 

Although there is an urgent need to change global food systems, it is important that essential nutrients are not compromised.Here, the BNF review emphasizes the need for a better understanding of how the wider trade-offs are linked to dietary and food system changes so that benefits in high-income countries do not come at the expense of greater “outsourced” environmental impacts in other regions.

Still advocating for animal intake
Although there is an urgent need to change the current global food system, it is important that essential nutrients are not compromised. Vegan diets may require a smaller carbon footprint, but they can reduce consumers’ intake of iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B12 and iodine. 

“We need to make sure that dietary shifts do not have unintended consequences,” flags Steenson. Moreover, the paper does not consistently suggest a need to reduce milk, yogurt or egg consumption – possibly reflecting trade-offs between the high nutrient density of these foods relative to their more intermediate environmental impact.

“While dairy foods and eggs may typically have a greater environmental impact than plant-derived foods, the important contribution they can make to nutrient intakes should not be overlooked,” states the review.

Therefore, the Eatwell Guide pushes toward a plant-based diet but also includes moderate amounts of animal source foods, which “appears to be a sensible goal that is likely to offer both health and environmental benefits,” Steenson concludes.

By Anni Schleicher