Chandigarh, Oct 3: A new report by the Lancet warns that roughly half of the global population may not have consistent access to healthy food, a clean environment, or a living wage, exposing deep inequities in human health that have been intensified by geopolitical conflicts and climate change.
The ‘2025 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy, Sustainable, and Just Food Systems’ highlights the world’s food system as a central driver of these crises. Contributing around 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, it impacts climate, biodiversity, and land use, while simultaneously shaping access to nutrition and human well-being.
“The crisis of inequity in access to conditions required for good human health, combined with environmental harm caused by global food systems, threatens both people and the planet,” the report’s authors wrote.
Launched in January 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission outlined recommendations for a “planetary health diet” that emphasizes plant-rich foods—fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes—with small portions of meat and dairy, aiming for sustainable food production by 2050.
The 2025 report presents “the most comprehensive scientific analysis of global food systems to date,” according to its authors. “More than half of the world’s population struggles to access healthy diets, leading to devastating consequences for public health, social equity, and the environment,” the report states. It adds that while hunger has declined in some regions, recent surges due to expanding conflicts and emerging climate impacts have reversed progress.
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, co-chair of the commission and director for nutrition, health, and food security at CGIAR, said, “The evidence laid out in our report is clear: the world must act boldly and equitably to ensure sustainable improvements. The choices we make today will determine the health of people and the planet for generations.” She added, “Food systems are a major contributor to many of the crises we face today, and at the same time, the key to solving them.”
The planetary health diet recommends about 150 grams (three to four servings) of whole grains per day, 500 grams of fruits and vegetables, 25 grams of nuts, and 75 grams of legumes. Moderate consumption of animal products is included: red meat up to 200 grams per week, poultry up to 400 grams per week, fish up to 700 grams per week, dairy up to 500 grams per day, and three to four eggs per week.
Adherence to this diet has been linked to a significantly lower risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and obesity. The report estimates a 27% reduction in premature deaths, potentially averting around 15 million early deaths annually worldwide compared to current diets.
While limiting red and processed meat, the diet ensures adequate protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin B12 through a combination of plant and moderate animal sources, the authors said.
