Diets have to change, intake of nuts, fruits and veggies has to be increased: EAT-Lancet commission

The new daily dietary pattern of a planetary health diet consists of approximately 35 per cent of calories as whole grains and tubers but also includes approximately 14 grams of red meat per day and 500 grams per day of vegetables and fruits.

4 min readPuneJan 17, 2019 05:48 PM IST

Can we eat in a way that works for our planet as well as our bodies, asks the EAT-Lancet commission that has brought together 37 experts from 16 countries to develop, for the first time, global scientific targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production.To be published on Thursday, the EAT- Lancet Commission report calls for a dietary shift that recommends reduction of global consumption of red meat by 50 per cent and overall increase in consumption of legumes, nuts, fruit, and vegetables, with the changes needed varying according to region.

The report says global targets will need to be applied locally, For instance, residents of countries in North America eat almost 6.5 times the recommended amount of red meat, while residents of South Asian countries, like India, eat only half the recommended amount. All countries are eating more starchy vegetables (potatoes and cassava) than recommended, with intakes ranging between 1.5 times above the recommendation in South Asia and by 7.5 times in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To be published online on Thursday, Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets for Sustainable Food Systems also links nutritional targets with environmental sustainability. Feeding a growing population of 10 billion people by 2050 with a healthy and sustainable diet requires a transformation of eating habits, improving food production and reducing food waste.

According to the commission, the new daily dietary pattern of a planetary health diet consists of approximately 35 per cent of calories as whole grains and tubers, protein sources mainly from plants, but also includes approximately 14 grams of red meat per day and 500 grams per day of vegetables and fruits.

Dr K Srinath Reddy, one of the members of the EAT-Lancet Commission, told The Indian Express that in India, there was a need to increase the diversity of food grains. “We can include millets and also ensure that there is no imbalance in the consumption of fruits and vegetables. For this, we need to deal with post-harvest losses, increase local production of fruits and vegetables and encourage community gardens,” he said.

“For Indians, it is not mainly an issue of reduction in meat production,” he pointed out, adding that these recommendations were mainly for Western countries. “We need to improve the quality of our vegetarian diets”.

The Commission’s definition of a healthy reference diet was calculated through analysis of food groups, with appropriate ranges proposed for essential daily intake that would lead to optimal health and well-being, and reduce premature deaths worldwide by 19-23 per cent. Globally, more than 820 million people remain undernourished and concurrently, prevalence of diseases associated with high-calorie, unhealthy diets are increasing, with 2.1 billion adults overweight or obese and the global prevalence of diabetes almost doubling in the past 30 years.

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Co-lead commissioner, Dr Walter Willett of Harvard University, has said in the report that the world’s diet has to dramatically change.

“The human cost of our faulty food systems is that almost 1 billion people are hungry, and almost 2 billion people are eating too much of the wrong food. These findings suggest that a shift towards a dietary pattern emphasising whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, without necessarily becoming a strict vegan, will be beneficial,” stated the report.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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