Halving meat consumption reduces disease risk by 22%

There are many ways to improve our food and our quality of life, and one of them focuses on meat consumption. Decrease by half consumption of red meat According to a scientific report, some foods containing added sugar could prevent up to 22.4% of the risks of contracting a disease.

The document "Healthy eating based on sustainable food systems" presented by the EAT-Lancet Commission, explained that with this change in diet, it was possible to avoid 19 to 24% of deaths in adults. The EAT-Lancet Commission is composed of 37 renowned scientists from 16 countries and specializes in various disciplines such as health, agriculture, political science and the environment.

According to experts, by 2050, major changes will have to be made to food products: world consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and reduce consumption of red meat and added sugars by more than 50%. Proposals to change the food system range from production to final consumption.

It also stresses the need to adopt coherent regimes mainly in the following areas:

– whole grains,

– nuts

– vegetables and fruits

– unsaturated fats,

Having a diet rich in vegetables and with fewer foods of animal origin provides good health and is beneficial for the environment.

An exception: in populations where there are significant indices of malnutritionit has been recommended to continue to consume foods of animal origin.

Food and its link with diseases

According to the EAT-Lancet Commission, unhealthy foods are the leading cause of disease in the world and malnutrition is a persistent problem. Around 1 billion people worldwide they are short of food and many are eating poorly. This contributes to "the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and premature deaths from these conditions," the study says.

The international body has warned that failure to take action may undermine the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement. He pointed out that children will inherit a planet that is seriously degraded in environmental terms, where a large part of the population will suffer more and more. preventable diseases.

To solve this problem, the EAT-Lancet Commission brought together specialists from different disciplines to define overall objectives for the creation of healthy diets and sustainable food production.