Written by Poppy Hawkins, Francesca Harris, Alan Dangour

Nutritious diets are vital for a healthy life; yet currently poor eating habits are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. A recent Lancet study showed that in the UK, 1 in 7 deaths are attributable to a poor diet; mainly as a result of low fruit, vegetable, nut and wholegrain consumption alongside high sodium intake. However, diets do not only have an effect on health, they also have a major impact on the environment: the production of foods is responsible for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions and two thirds of all water-use by humans.

To improve public health and to safeguard our planet it is clear that a primary focus must be on the food that we eat. Achieving a sustainable food system that is both healthy for humans and sustainable for the environment is one of the greatest challenges faced by humanity. For LSHTM, a global leader in public health and planetary health research, supporting access to healthier and more sustainable foods in our diets through our institution refectory service is a logical first step.

With the launch of the new LSHTM Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, David Cole and his team in LSHTM catering have developed the Planetary Pick; a food choice that incorporates sustainable and nutritious food options. The pick will provide food options that are in-line with the new “planetary health diet” developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission; a universal healthy reference diet that provides co-benefits to nutrition and the environment in the face of the world’s growing population. It is characterised by a focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, with small amounts of seafood, meat and dairy. By switching to diets like these, UK adults could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% (Green et al. 2015). Agriculture and nutrition is one of the key research areas for the new centre, so it is excellent to see such initiatives on the School’s doorstep.

The pick launched on Monday 3^rd of June, with a fruit and vegetable stand providing free nutritious snack to all refectory users. There was even a competition to guess the most unusual fruit and vegetables!

If you are in the LSHTM refectory or Seacole Café and you spot the “Planetary Pick” label, help support the planet and your health by grabbing one of the options! The picks include salads, hot meals, fruit pots and drinks. You can pick up a loyalty card today to collect your stamps to receive a free “Planetary Pick” meal.

Visit the SHEFS website to learn more about the School’s environment, food system and health research.

References

Afshin et al. 2019. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet.

393 (10184), pp.1958-1972. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30041-8.

Audsley, E., Brander, M., Chatterton, J., Murphy-Bokern, D., Webster, C., and Williams, A. 2009. How low can we go? An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK food system and the scope to reduce them by 2050. WWF-UK.

Green, R., Milner, J., Chalabi, Z., Markandya, A., Spadaro, J.  Dangour, A. D., Haines, A., Wilkinson, P. 2015. The potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK through healthy and realistic dietary change. Climatic Change. 129. 10.1007/s10584-015-1329-y.

Willett, et al. 2019. Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet. 393 (10170), pp 447-492, doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4.