Can adopting the EAT-Lancet diet bring synergistic benefits in nutrition and sustainability? Evidence from African countries

A global shift towards healthy and sustainable diets is vital to prevent non-communicable diseases and reduce food systems' environmental impacts. Africa's delicate environment and intricate nutritional challenges call for a thoughtful and sustainable approach to dietary change. This study introduced the Planetary Healthy Diet Index (PHDI) to assess dietary compliance in 37 African countries across five regions, analyzing environmental footprints such as GHG emissions, blue water footprint, and cropland use tied to the EAT-Lancet reference diet. Findings reveal poor adherence to the planetary healthy diet, with significant deviations in key food components. Improved adherence could reduce GHG emissions but it might increase water and cropland use, with regional variations. Optimal dietary shifts involve reducing red meat, tubers and sugars while increasing vegetables, fruits, plant proteins, and dairy. With few African countries having dietary guidelines, the EAT-Lancet diet provides a foundational for improving health and environmental sustainability with additional policies.