Topic Reading-Vol.2478-1/23/2019

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

New 'planetary health diet' can save lives and the planet,

Of the 7 plus billion world population, about a billion people live in hunger while two billion eat too much of the wrong foods, says a new study by an international team of scientists. Also, as the world population increases to 10 billion by the middle of the century, people with obese, imbalanced diet, and malnutrition increase as well. Most people are eating too much or too little of certain foods, or just not enough food. For example, people in North America eat too much red meat while those in South Asia eat more starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and pees than recommended levels. The study indicates these unhealthy diet condition and practices are harming the health of not only the people’s but also our planet’s. The scientists who worked on the study also proposes a comprehensive solution to the problem, called planetary health diet. It requires to cut red meat and sugar consumption by 50% while increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

Solutions are there, which doesn’t require substantial funding but does need behavioral change, technologies, policies and regulations, and more importantly, people’s awareness.

Enjoy reading the article and think how close you are or can be, to the planetary health diet.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/16/health/new-diet-to-save-lives-and-planet-health-study-intl/index.html