According to experts from Harvard, a planet-friendly diet reduces the risk of death by 25%.

Overwhelming majority daily allowance The current conditions with a high level of industrial and processed products have a negative impact on the environment.

The fact is that according to a recent study by scientists from the Center for Networked Biomedical Research (Ciber), published in the journal Environmental science in general, cut down on ultra-processed foodsnot only benefits health, but also helps reduce carbon footprint and has positive influence in sustainability Wednesday.

This is because sugary drinks, snacks and fast food – all low in nutrients and high in additives, preservatives, fats, sugars and sodium – have a significant environmental impact from the time they are produced until they reach the end consumer.

Now researchers from Harvard School of Public Health. T. H. Chana They added that, in addition, eating more organic food can help people live longer and healthier lives.

More precisely, experts found that people who followed a more sustainable diet from an ecological point of view, they 25% less chance of dying prematurely over a follow-up period of over 30 years compared with those on a less sustainable diet.

The findings were based on health outcomes of more than 100,000 people in the US, followed by researchers between 1986 and 2018of which over 47,000 died in the subsequent period.

Those who scored highest on the Planetary Health Diet Index, which measures how well people adhere to recommended daily intakes of planet-healthy foods, were 15% less likely to die from cancer or heart disease, according to the study.

In addition, they also had a 20% lower chance of dying from neurodegenerative diseases, and the risk of dying from respiratory diseases was halved.

Experts found that overall, a green diet cuts the risk of premature death by a quarter. The results of the work were presented in Nutrition 2023annual meeting of the American Nutrition Society in Boston.

“I have always been interested in softening human impact on the environment said Lin Bui, PhD student in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. T. H. Chana. Rational nutrition should not only be healthy, but also comply with planetary limits on greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental parameters.”

And stressed that the results of the study confirmed the hypothesis, “that a higher score on the Planetary Health Diet was associated with a lower risk of mortality.”

The study builds on previous studies that have identified products that are helpful for both health and the environment, such as whole grains, fruits, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and unsaturated oils, and foods that may be harmful for the environment and human health, such as eggs, red and processed meats.

According to available data, products from herbal products are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseasesuch as heart disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes and stroke, and with less environmental impact in terms of factors such as water use, land use, nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

To create your Planetary Health Diet Index (FDI), the researchers reviewed existing research on the relationship between different food groups and health outcomes based on the EAT-Lancet reference diet, which explains the environmental impact of food production practices. They then applied the index to analyze outcomes among participants.

Bui cautioned that PHDI does not necessarily reflect all foods and their association with all major diseases in all countries. People with specific medical conditions, religious restrictions, or different access to food due to socioeconomic status or food availability may find it difficult to follow a more sustainable diet.

Another study conducted in 2019 in Brazil, the results of which were published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine it is estimated that about 57,000 Brazilians between the ages of 30 and 69 died that year as a result of eating highly processed foods. According to researchers, this figure corresponds to more than 10% of annual premature deaths in the country among this age group.

For the authors of the work, “having a tool for evaluating deaths associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods this can help countries assess the burden of dietary changes associated with industrial food processing and develop better food policy options to create a healthier food environment.”

Experts from Harvard believe that more research can help identify and remove such barriers.

“We hope that researchers can tailor this index to specific food cultures and confirm how it relates to chronic disease and environmental impacts such as carbon footprint, water footprint and land use in other populations,” Bui concluded.

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