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Thirty eminent scientists from around the world have formed a commission to jointly address two of humanity's most pressing threats – malnutrition and climate change – by proposing a universal diet that humans could embrace.
"Food systems have the potential to promote human health and support environmental sustainability. However, they are currently threatening both, "says the report. "Providing a growing world population with healthy food from sustainable food systems is an immediate challenge."
The proposed plan, called the "Global Health Plan", is based on increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. The scientists of the commission believe that such a diet can both improve human health and increase the chances of achieving global sustainability goals. The scientists of the commission claim that it is a "win-win" solution with scientific objectives using a framework of planetary boundaries defined as "the workspace sure for humanity vis-à-vis the Earth system and badociated with the subsystems or biophysical processes of the planet. " . "
By 2050, the Earth's population is expected to reach 10 billion people. According to the authors, our current patterns of food production and diet "will exacerbate the risks to people and the planet".
The effort will be discussed throughout the year in a series of reports published by the commission in the Lancet, the first having been published on January 16th. In the latest report, scientists say they hope their proposal will encourage policymakers to: implement changes to reshape the global food system – which, according to scientists, is currently unhealthy for many in the world. origin of noncommunicable diseases, and contributes to the increase of carbon emissions.
In addition to focusing on what consumers consume, the Global Health Diet focuses on the role of farming activities and its impact on wildlife and pollution. It also responds to a growing paradox in this world: one billion people in the world live in hunger, while another two billion are obese.
According to the proposed diet, the optimal daily intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, dairy products, proteins, fats and sugars should lead to a total caloric intake of 2,500 per day. Many should probably reduce their consumption of red meat and sugars by more than 50%. According to the authors, North America eats nearly 6.5 times more than the recommended amount of red meat. Southeast Asia eats 1.5 times the proposed amount of starchy vegetables. In exchange, the consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes should more than double.
To put the proposed regime into perspective, it would essentially provide for one beef burger and two servings of fish per week. Most protein should come from legumes and nuts, offers the diet. A glbad of milk a day complies with the guidelines, just like a few eggs a week.
The report acknowledges that it would be difficult to follow universally for many, and it is unclear whether a social policy would be involved or whether it was simply an individualization of responsibility.
"Humanity has never sought to change the global food system to the scale envisaged," says the report. "Achieving this goal will require rapid change, as well as unprecedented global collaboration and commitment: nothing short of a major food transformation."
If successfully applied, the authors estimate that 10.9 to 11.6 million deaths could be prevented each year. To allow the world to follow the diet, the report suggests five strategies, one of which is subsidies. The report also says that encouraging farmers to shift their food production from large quantities of a few crops to a more diversified production of nutritious crops could be beneficial. The commission says that an effort to reduce food waste can be achieved by improving harvest planning in low- and middle-income countries. This also suggests that consumer buying habits of high income countries also need to be improved.
This report is an example of how consumers are expected to change their behavior to save the world. This paradigm is often criticized because it is estimated that 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. Proposals that individualize the responsibility to save the planet – such as dietary changes or the use of fewer straws – are often criticized for insufficiently identifying the fact that systemic problems require systemic solutions (c & # 39; that is, a regulation). Notably, the global food system is responsible for almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions, and a separate report by the InterAcademy Partnership (IPA) said reorganizing a global diet could transform the system.
Whatever the case may be, scientists believe that this idea should be taken seriously by those who can pave the way for change.
"The stakes are very important," Dr. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief at The Lancet, told CNN.
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