Improving the affordability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions of the EAT-Lancet diet in China

Abstract

Transforming from existing dietary patterns to sustainable dietary patterns can promote sustainable development of the environment and human health. However, a successful transformation of dietary structure is hinges on the affordability of dietary guidelines. This study compares the actual dietary consumption structure of urban and rural residents in China with the recommended values outlined in dietary guidelines, and then measures the affordability of adhering to these guidelines for both urban and rural populations. This paper forecasts the future levels of dietary affordability and potential reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in both urban and rural regions of China. The results indicate that there is a notable disparity between actual food consumption in urban and rural regions and that recommended by the dietary guidelines. The EAT-Lancet diet successfully achieves the objectives of being affordable, nutritionally sufficient, and environmentally sustainable, and can narrow the urban-rural affordability gap. By implementing a 13 % increase in incomes, the EAT-Lancet diet can effectively achieve universal affordability at the highest price and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30.24 %.