Expert reveals why everyone on the planet can not have a healthy diet

Washington DC: It turns out that if everyone on the planet wanted to have a healthy diet, there would not be enough fruits and vegetables to meet the demand.

As part of a recent study, researchers compared global agricultural production to nutritionist consumption recommendations and found a glaring imbalance. The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Evan Fraser, co-author of the study, said, "We simply can not adopt a healthy diet in the current global agriculture system, the results show that the global system is currently overproducing cereals, fats and sugars, while the production of fruits and vegetables and, to a lesser extent, protein, is not sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of the present population. "

to the crop and the amount needed if everyone followed the nutritional recommendations. They then projected these figures for 2050, while the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion

. They found that we now produce 12 servings of grain per person instead of the eight recommended. That's five servings of fruits and vegetables instead of 15, three servings of oil and fat instead of one, three servings of protein instead of five and four servings of sugar instead of nothing.

"What We Produce According to nutritionists, the global level is not what we should produce," Fraser said.

Developed countries have been subsidizing grain and corn production for decades to become self-sufficient and to establish global leadership in their production. These countries also spent much more money on research and innovation for these crops than on fruits and vegetables.

Krishna KC, co-author of the study, said, "Fat, sugar, and salt are also tasty, and we, humans, are thirsty for these foods." All of these factors combined have resulted in a system world-wide that actually overproduces these types of foods. "

The study suggests that adopting a more nutritious diet is not only good for us but also for the planet.

The researchers also found that to adapt production to nutritional standards, it would take 50 million hectares of arable land less, because fruits and vegetables require less land than cereals, sugar and vegetables. fat.

But to achieve this reduction, consumers should consume less meat and the agri-food sector should produce more vegetable protein.

Without any change, the diet of 9.8 billion people will require an additional 12 million hectares. Land and at least one billion hectares of additional pastures, Fraser said.

"Feeding the next generation is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.Our calculations suggest that for a growing population, a nutritionally balanced diet, land spared, and greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse nutritionally balanced, consume and produce more fruits and vegetables, as well as a transition to a diet rich in vegetable protein. "

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