‘Planetary diet’ could prevent 15 million premature deaths, analysis shows

Credit: udra

By Daniel Pye

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables and low in meat and dairy could prevent around 15 million deaths across the globe each year, new analysis shows.

The ‘planetary health diet’ is linked to a 27% reduced risk of premature death, as well as lower levels of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases, a report from 2025 Eat-Lancet Commission has found.

Experts also pointed to environmental benefits of the diet, saying it could reduce demand for resource-intensive foods such as red meat, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions and land and water use.

The diet recommends people eat:

• Whole grains (around 150g or three to four servings per day).
• Fruit and vegetables (500g or at least five servings per day).
• Nuts (25g or one serving per day).
• Legumes (75g or one serving per day).

It can include moderate intake of animal foods such as:

• Red meat (up to 200g or one serving per week).
• Poultry (up to 400g or two servings per week).
• Fish (up to 700g or two servings per week).
• Eggs (3-4 per week). 
• Dairy (up to 500g per day or one serving of milk, yoghurt or cheese per day).

The diet also calls for limiting added sugars, saturated fats and salt – often found in processed foods.

Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “The commission provides welcome clarity on the vital challenge of supporting healthy diets which are sustainable and accessible to all globally.

“The planetary health diet set out in this report is associated with improved health outcomes – and research that we have funded also supports such a diet for people after a cancer diagnosis.

“It’s heartening that healthy diets can align with the most sustainable globally, but now we need to see countries implementing policies to improve access to them.”

‘Planetary boundary transgressions’

The Lancet report found that current global food systems contribute to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and are the largest driver of “planetary boundary transgressions” – environmental damage through impact on climate, biodiversity, freshwater consumption and changes in how land is used. These transgressions cross the safe limits that keep Earth's environment stable and liveable for humans.

The diets of the wealthiest 30% of the global population are responsible for approximately 70% of the overall environmental pressures caused by food systems, the researchers found.

The findings suggest if the entire world shifted to the planetary health diet and there were strong climate policies to reduce emissions, they could drop by more than half – equivalent to removing emissions from all coal-fired power plants globally.

The commission also called for action to protect remaining forests, wetlands, and other natural habitats to preserve biodiversity.

The report said governments can take action to promote healthy food, including through taxes on unhealthy products, while offering subsidies for fruit and vegetables.

Line Gordon, commissioner and director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, said: “The private sector can play a crucial role in transformation, but an effective food system transformation needs to ensure that decision-making is for the public good and protected from undue corporate influence.”

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