Guidelines for a healthy diet: the ecological perspective

Health Council of the Netherlands, Gezondheidsraad
Record ID 32011001009
English
Authors' objectives:

For many years the Health Council's Guidelines for a healthy diet have provided dietary advice for healthy nutrition. But to what extent is a healthy diet also a sustainable one? That is the subject of this advisory report. Emphasis will be placed on the ecological aspects of the rather wide-ranging concept of sustainability. The aim of the report is to support government in developing policy for a healthy and eco-friendly diet.

Authors' recommendations: Two guidelines which deliver both health benefits and ecological benefits in terms of land use and greenhouse gas emissions are: 1. adopt a less animal-based and more plant-based diet: less meat and dairy products, and more whole-grain cereal products, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and vegetable-based meat substitutes2. to counter excess body weight, reduce energy intake, particularly by eating less non-basic foods such as sugary drinks, sweets, cakes and snacks.A guideline which may yield health benefits, but which may have detrimental ecological effects, particularly for marine biodiversity, is:eat two portions of fish per week, at least one of which should be oily fish.Even if, based on the indications, it can be assumed that just one portion of oily fish per week is enough to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, this recommendation is ecologically detrimental because this level of consumption is higher than the current level in the Netherlands. From the ecological perspective, it is advisable to concentrate on fish species that are not currently being overfished, or on species which are being farmed in an environmentally friendly way.A guideline which yields ecological benefits, but whose effect on health is neutral, is:reduce food waste.
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.gezondheidsraad.nl/sites/default/files/201108E.pdf
Year Published: 2011
URL for published report: http://www.gezondheidsraad.nl/en/publications/richtlijnen-goede-voeding-ecologisch-belicht
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Netherlands
MeSH Terms
  • Diet
  • Environment
Contact
Organisation Name: Health Council of the Netherlands Gezondheidsraad
Contact Address: Postbus 16052, 2500 BB Den Haag, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 70 340 7520;Fax: +31 70 340 7523
Contact Name: info@gr.nl
Contact Email: info@gr.nl
Copyright: <p>Health Council of the Netherlands (GR)</p>
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