Diet for the planet : distance to go and additional benefits

The increase in the world population poses a challenge to food production, leading to an unprecedented impact on the environment, biodiversity, and climate change. Diet plays a crucial role in determining our health outcomes. Currently, we are facing a rising prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, which can partly be attributed to dietary choices. The population's diet is crucial in preventing health problems and promoting environmental sustainability.

To improve both the environment and human health, a dietary pattern known as the Planetary Health Diet was proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health in 2019. This dietary pattern primarily emphasizes plant-based foods and can cover world population needs within planetary resources boundaries and has multiple additional benefits for health and household costs.

Additional data regarding the association between the Planetary Health Diet and disease prevalence is needed in Switzerland. Therefore, this project aims to gain more insights on the benefit of the Planetary Health Diet using data from a large population-based cohort study, called CoLaus|PsyCoLaus. This project will first assess to which extent the dietary habits of the Swiss population align with the Planetary Health Diet. Second, we will identify the sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics of individuals who adhere the most and the least to this diet. Third, we will assess the potential advantages of adhering to the Planetary Health Diet in terms of reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates in Switzerland. Finally, recommendations will be provided regarding the benefits of promoting the Planetary Health Diet for the Swiss population.

Bibliographie :

Willett, W., et al., Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Lancet, 2019. 393(10170): p. 447-492. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4 

Marques-Vidal P, Waeber G, Vollenweider P. CoLaus: l’alimentation, la grande oubliée dans la prévention des maladies cardiovasculaires. Praxis. 2020 Jan;109(1):31-34. https://doi.org/10.1024/1661-8157/a003361 

Knuppel A, Papier K, Key TJ, Travis RC. EAT-Lancet score and major health outcomes: the EPIC-Oxford study. Lancet. 2019 Jul 20;394(10194):213-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31236-X