Switching to healthier, more sustainable diets in China could bring big benefits for people’s health, the environment, and the cost of food, according to a new policy brief published in Nature.
The research looks at three different ways diets could change to be better for both people and the planet, while still fitting with local food habits. It shows that updating China’s dietary guidelines to include sustainability could help cut emissions, save water and land, and improve overall diet quality.
Dr Xiaoxi Wang, one of the lead authors and an Honorary Research Associate at Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, says that making these changes will need joined-up policies — including clearer food labelling, financial incentives, and culturally aware public education.
Dr Wang is also associated with China Academy for Rural Development, Zhejiang University, MAgPIE-China Research Group, Hangzhou, China and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany.
Read the policy brief in Nature Sustainability: Multi-benefit diet changes in China