A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET

IN the 21st century, the world faces three interconnected challenges: climate change, obesity, and undernutrition.

- Sadhvika Srinivas

Together, these issues have been described by the Lancet Commission as the Global Syndemic, a confluence of pandemics driven by socioeconomic forces that threaten both human health and the environment. At the heart of this crisis lies our dietary patterns, which directly influence noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), nutritional deficiencies, and the environmental impact of food systems.

One solution gaining worldwide attention is the adoption of plant-based diets. Unlike a single, rigid diet, plant-based eating spans a wide spectrum, from strict vegan diets that eliminate all animal products to more flexible approaches such as the Mediterranean diet, the New Nordic diet, or the Planetary diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission. What unites them is a focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and healthy fats, with limited or no consumption of red meat and highly processed foods.

Health benefits of plant-based eating