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Healthy and Sustainable Diets - Finding co-benefits and trade-offs for the Netherlands

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This thesis investigated the association between diet-related environmental impact and health. Data were from 40,000 Dutch participants enrolled in the EPIC-NL cohort with available dietary data at baseline (1993-1997) and in 2015. Environmental impact of diet was calculated using greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use and health was measured according to the Dutch dietary guidelines (RGV). Additionally, mortality risk of chronic diseases was examined. Diet-related environmental impact was not associated with mortality risk. In 2015, participants ate relatively more fish and chicken but comparable quantities of red and processed meat. This resulted in a healthier diet, but similar environmental impact. Scenarios in which 35 grams of meat per day was replaced by vegetables, fruit or fish were environmentally friendlier (< 10% less GHG emission) and healthier (< 19% lower mortality risk). Better adherence to the RGV was healthier and more sustainable. Modelled policy scenarios with a 15% or 30% higher meat price or 10% lower price for fruit and vegetables showed several billion Euros net benefits over a 30-year period. Important dietary patterns for environment and health were characterized by the ratio of plant-based to animal-based foods (patterns 1) or the amount of dairy consumed (patterns 2). Compared to the average diet in EPIC-NL, participants with a ‘plant-based’ diet had a favorable score for environmental impact and health, while participants with the ‘dairy-based’ pattern were slightly healthier but had a higher environmental impact. Health aspects have been central in current dietary guidelines. In order to integrate environmental impact, several possible adjustments are proposed for profit on both aspects.
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Background: Implementation of food taxes or subsidies may promote healthier and a more sustainable diet in a society. This study estimates the effects of a tax (15% or 30%) on meat and a subsidy (10%) on fruit and vegetables (F&V) consumption in the Netherlands using a social cost-benefit analysis with a 30-year time horizon. Methods: Calculations with the representative Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (2012-2014) served as the reference. Price elasticities were applied to calculate changes in consumption and consumer surplus. Future food consumption and health effects were estimated using the DYNAMO-HIA model and environmental impacts were estimated using Life Cycle Analysis. The time horizon of all calculations is 30 year. All effects were monetarized and discounted to 2018 euros. Results: Over 30-years, a 15% or 30% meat tax or 10% F&V subsidy could result in reduced healthcare costs, increased quality of life, and higher productivity levels. Benefits to the environment of a meat tax are an estimated €3400 million or €6300 million in the 15% or 30% scenario respectively, whereas the increased F&V consumption could result in €100 million costs for the environment. While consumers benefit from a subsidy, a consumer surplus of €10,000 million, the tax scenarios demonstrate large experienced costs of respectively €21,000 and €41,000 million. Overall, a 15% or 30% price increase in meat could lead to a net benefit for society between €3100-7400 million or €4100-12,300 million over 30 years respectively. A 10% F&V subsidy could lead to a net benefit to society of €1800-3300 million. Sensitivity analyses did not change the main findings. Conclusions: The studied meat taxes and F&V subsidy showed net total welfare benefits for the Dutch society over a 30-year time horizon.
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Objective To identify differences in dietary quality, dietary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and food consumption over 20 years in a Dutch cohort. Design Participants ( n 8932) filled out an FFQ in 1993–1997 and in 2015. The Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD15-index) score, GHG emissions and consumption of food groups (g/4184 kJ (1000 kcal)) were compared between the time points with paired t tests. Setting The Netherlands. Participants European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition – Netherlands (EPIC-NL) cohort, aged 18–65 years at baseline. Results Total energy intake decreased by –678 (95 % CI –4908, 3377) kJ/d (–162 (95 % CI –1173, 807) kcal/d) for men and –372 (95 % CI –3820, 3130) kJ/d (–89 (95 % CI –913, 748) kcal/d) for women. DHD15-index scores increased by 11 % (from 64·8 to 71·9 points) and 13 % (from 65·2 to 73·6 points) in men and women, respectively ( P < 0·0001), mainly due to an increased (shell)fish and nuts/seeds/nut paste consumption. After energy intake adjustment, dietary-related GHG emissions increased by 5 % in men (2·48–2·61 kg CO 2 -eq/4184 kJ (1000 kcal), P < 0·0001) and were similar in women (0·4 %, 2·70–2·71 kg CO 2 -eq/4184 kJ (1000 kcal), P = 0·3930) due to the increased consumption of (shell)fish, nuts/seeds/nut paste, poultry and higher GHG-intensive red meats such as beef. Conclusions This Dutch cohort analyses showed more healthy diets without mitigated GHG emissions over a 20-year period, at similar energy intakes. Higher consumption of (shell)fish and poultry was not yet at the expense of red and processed meat. Lower consumption of animal-based foods is needed to achieve healthier as well as environmentally friendly diets.
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Free access to the article here: https://rdcu.be/bdq1i Altering diets is increasingly acknowledged as an important solution to feed the world’s growing population within the planetary boundaries. In our search for a planet-friendly diet, the main focus has been on eating more plant-source foods, and eating no or less animal-source foods, while the potential of future foods, such as insects, seaweed or cultured meat has been underexplored. Here we show that compared to current animal-source foods, future foods have major environmental benefits while safeguarding the intake of essential micronutrients. The complete array of essential nutrients in the mixture of future foods makes them good-quality alternatives for current animal-source foods compared to plant-source foods. Moreover, future foods are land-efficient alternatives for animal-source foods, and if produced with renewable energy, they also offer greenhouse gas benefits. Further research on nutrient bioavailability and digestibility, food safety, production costs and consumer acceptance will determine their role as main food sources in future diets.
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Background The consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with increased mortality from chronic diseases, and as a result, it has been classified by the World Health Organization as carcinogenic (processed meat) and probably carcinogenic (red meat) to humans. One policy response is to regulate red and processed meat consumption similar to other carcinogens and foods of public health concerns. Here we describe a market-based approach of taxing red and processed meat according to its health impacts. Methods We calculated economically optimal tax levels for 149 world regions that would account for (internalize) the health costs associated with ill-health from red and processed meat consumption, and we used a coupled modelling framework to estimate the impacts of optimal taxation on consumption, health costs, and non-communicable disease mortality. Health impacts were estimated using a global comparative risk assessment framework, and economic responses were estimated using international data on health costs, prices, and price elasticities. Findings The health-related costs to society attributable to red and processed meat consumption in 2020 amounted to USD 285 billion (sensitivity intervals based on epidemiological uncertainty (SI), 93–431), three quarters of which were due to processed meat consumption. Under optimal taxation, prices for processed meat increased by 25% on average, ranging from 1% in low-income countries to over 100% in high-income countries, and prices for red meat increased by 4%, ranging from 0.2% to over 20%. Consumption of processed meat decreased by 16% on average, ranging from 1% to 25%, whilst red meat consumption remained stable as substitution for processed meat compensated price-related reductions. The number of deaths attributable to red and processed meat consumption decreased by 9% (222,000; SI, 38,000–357,000), and attributable health costs decreased by 14% (USD 41 billion; SI, 10–57) globally, in each case with greatest reductions in high and middle-income countries. Interpretation Including the social health cost of red and processed meat consumption in the price of red and processed meat could lead to significant health and environmental benefits, in particular in high and middle-income countries. The optimal tax levels estimated in this study are context-specific and can complement the simple rules of thumb currently used for setting health-motivated tax levels.
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Advisory bodies such as the World Health Organization and the Dutch Health Council (DHC) recommend including fatty fish in one’s diet, based on the health benefits of their content of n − 3 poly unsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid—EPA and docosahexaenoic acid—DHA) being, i.e., the reduction of the risk of fatal cardio vascular disease and stroke. These dietary advices on these fatty acids’ (e.g., fatty fish) consumption are only based on the expected health benefits. But what would a dietary advice look like when the health benefits were weighed up against relevant sustainability and food safety considerations? The aim of the current study was to explore the consequences for safety, health, and sustainability of solutions to meet the DHC’s recommendation on EPA/DHA consumption. To this end, first, the health, food safety, and sustainability perspectives of the current fish production and consumption, being the main source of EPA/DHA, were identified. Second, alternative diet scenarios, meeting the daily advised intake of EPA/DHA, were collected and subsequently judged on their health, safety and (environmental) sustainability characteristics. To enable structuring the process of finding solutions for such complex problems, a specific framework was applied: solution-focused sustainability assessment. Based on stakeholder consultation, three scenarios were assessed: higher production and consumption of fatty fish (here: farmed salmon); increased human use of by-catch and discards; and increased consumption of alternative EPA/DHA sources (here: walnuts). It appeared that only in the scenario of increased use of by-catch and discards, the effects on human health and the environment and resources coincide, whereas in the other two scenarios, the positive health effects are expected to result in one or more negative effects on the environment. Besides, increased fish consumption causes more food safety problems; however, if one changes his/her diet and replaces meat by fish, this will lead to a net higher food safety. The analysis shows the sustainability limits of increased production and consumption of fatty fish and alternative EPA/DHA sources. This can support policy makers in setting goals and deciding on measures to encourage healthy and environmentally sustainable fish (i.e., EPA/DHA) consumption. Furthermore, this study shows in general the impact a policy initiative focusing on health aspects only can have on other aspects, such as environment and food safety. It emphasizes the added value of integrative assessments, which cover multiple effects when designing new sustainable policies.
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Agricultural production is among the industries with the highest impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially in the production of ruminant meats. Households can change their food consumption habits so as to consume less polluting products such as white meat or vegetable-based food. We analyze whether or not a CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq) tax policy in France can change household habits with respect to animal product purchases, and their environmental impact. Using two levels of a CO2-eq tax (€56 and €200 per tonne of CO2-eq) applied to the consumption of all animal products, only ruminant meats or only beef, we show that a high level of tax does not allow meeting the 20% objective threshold of GHG emissions reduction for 2020 since it would lead to a 6% decrease in GHG emissions only. Despite the weak effect of such a tax, the most efficient scenario would be to tax the consumption of beef only at a high level. Indeed, this tax policy would allow reaching a 3.2% decrease in GHG emissions, that represents 53% of the variation in GHG emissions when all products are taxed whereas it would only generate 12% of the household welfare damages.