In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission introduced the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), a guide for creating 2500 kcal/day country-specific sustainable diets that promote health while reducing the environmental impact associated with food systems. The PHD was previously adapted to the Italian food context, resulting in the EAT-IT dietary pattern. However, this adaptation revealed several challenges in terms of nutritional adequacy, feasibility, and environmental impact. This study reports on strategies to improve the previous pattern and align it more closely with the Mediterranean Diet, resulting in the MED_EAT-IT pattern. The study also explores feasible strategies for adapting this pattern to different energy targets, enhancing its scalability and promoting personalized approaches. For the optimization of this pattern, a specific calculation tool was developed to introduce variation to the pattern, considering realistic and feasible serving sizes and frequency of consumption. This tool integrates a defined food ontology, food composition data, and two environmental impact metrics (Carbon and Water Footprint). To optimize nutritional adequacy, several adaptations of the amount within the different food groups were made, for instance by increasing cereals and animal source by 25.5% kcal/day and 36.2% kcal/day respectively compared to EAT-IT. The resulting 2500 kcal/die pattern meets all nutritional requirements except for vitamin D and does not hamper the possibility to limit environmental impact (Carbon Footprint increased only by 12.2% but Water Footprint decreased by 6.3%). Lower energy targets were achieved by modulating amounts of the different food groups to ensure nutritional adequacy. The strategies and tools proposed here could aid in optimizing dietary plans, evaluating their potential for environmental impact reduction, and identifying issues that could hinder their adoption. Furthermore, the analyses carried out pave the way for the potential future development of new or improved foods that may contribute to the optimization of nutritional and environmental impact of diets.

The MED_EAT-IT approach: A modelling study to develop feasible, sustainable and nutritionally targeted dietary patterns based on the Planetary health diet / M. Tucci, D. Martini, V. Vinelli, P. Biscotti, M. Porrini, C. Del Bo', P. Riso. - In: CURRENT RESEARCH IN FOOD SCIENCE. - ISSN 2665-9271. - 8:(2024), pp. 100765.1-100765.12. [10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100765]

The MED_EAT-IT approach: A modelling study to develop feasible, sustainable and nutritionally targeted dietary patterns based on the Planetary health diet

M. Tucci
Primo
;
D. Martini
Secondo
;
V. Vinelli;P. Biscotti;M. Porrini;C. Del Bo'
Penultimo
;
P. Riso
Ultimo
2024

Abstract

In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission introduced the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), a guide for creating 2500 kcal/day country-specific sustainable diets that promote health while reducing the environmental impact associated with food systems. The PHD was previously adapted to the Italian food context, resulting in the EAT-IT dietary pattern. However, this adaptation revealed several challenges in terms of nutritional adequacy, feasibility, and environmental impact. This study reports on strategies to improve the previous pattern and align it more closely with the Mediterranean Diet, resulting in the MED_EAT-IT pattern. The study also explores feasible strategies for adapting this pattern to different energy targets, enhancing its scalability and promoting personalized approaches. For the optimization of this pattern, a specific calculation tool was developed to introduce variation to the pattern, considering realistic and feasible serving sizes and frequency of consumption. This tool integrates a defined food ontology, food composition data, and two environmental impact metrics (Carbon and Water Footprint). To optimize nutritional adequacy, several adaptations of the amount within the different food groups were made, for instance by increasing cereals and animal source by 25.5% kcal/day and 36.2% kcal/day respectively compared to EAT-IT. The resulting 2500 kcal/die pattern meets all nutritional requirements except for vitamin D and does not hamper the possibility to limit environmental impact (Carbon Footprint increased only by 12.2% but Water Footprint decreased by 6.3%). Lower energy targets were achieved by modulating amounts of the different food groups to ensure nutritional adequacy. The strategies and tools proposed here could aid in optimizing dietary plans, evaluating their potential for environmental impact reduction, and identifying issues that could hinder their adoption. Furthermore, the analyses carried out pave the way for the potential future development of new or improved foods that may contribute to the optimization of nutritional and environmental impact of diets.
Diet optimization; Food systems; Nutritional adequacy; Planetary health diet; Sustainable diets.
Settore MED/49 - Scienze Tecniche Dietetiche Applicate
   One Health Action Hub: task force di Ateneo per la resilienza di ecosistemi territoriali (1H_Hub) Linea Strategica 3, Tema One health, one earth
   1H_Hub
   UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO

   ERA-NET Biomarkers for Nutrition and Health implementing the JPI HDHL objectives
   ERA-HDHL
   European Commission
   Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
   696295
2024
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38779344/
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1062028
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