The Dietary ShiftEat as if it will save people, societies and the planet — because it will. (2024 Mar)

The Food System Economics Commission (FSEC) is an independent academic commission that equips political and economic decision makers with tools and evidence to shift food and land use systems. Patterns of how and where people meet and eat have evolved to provide fast, cheap food that relies on a harmful transnational industrial food system. This trend has implications for health, resilience and agricultural sustainability. Dietary change is crucial to reverse the global impact on health, longevity, and the environment.

The FSEC calls for a global dietary transformation by 2050, emphasizing the need for healthier, more sustainable food consumption patterns. The recommended shift involves increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes while reducing consumption of animal-source foods, sugar, and vegetable oils. This transformation could yield remarkable benefits: potentially saving 174 million lives, significantly reducing diet-related non-communicable diseases, and addressing environmental challenges.

FSEC modelling emphasizes that fostering a healthy food environment is biophysically feasible and the most powerful strategy to improve human and planetary well-being.

Regionally tailored approaches are crucial, with variations like increased legume consumption in China and potential meat intake improvements in sub-Saharan Africa. The proposed changes are not just nutritionally sound but economically beneficial and environmentally critical, potentially helping meet the 1.5°C climate target by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preserving habitats, and mitigating land and water resource pressures. Implementing this transformation requires a coordinated strategy involving incentives, regulation, innovation, and investment, ultimately aiming to ensure global access to healthy, culturally appropriate diets while respecting ecological and cultural diversity.

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