Overview

• The EPIC-Norfolk analysis, published September 16 in PLOS Medicine, found a 32% lower incidence of type 2 diabetes for participants with the highest adherence to the diet compared with the lowest.
• Diet-related greenhouse gas emissions were about 18% lower among high adherers, based on estimates from participants’ reported food intake.
• The Planetary Health Diet is a flexitarian pattern that prioritizes wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds while limiting red and processed meat and sugary drinks.
• Study authors from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge emphasize the findings are observational and do not prove causation, calling for actions that support healthier dietary choices.
• The results strengthen long-term European cohort evidence informing policy discussions as countries such as Germany and Denmark incorporate environmental guidance into national dietary advice.