Almost half of the 8 billion people on the planet do not have reliable access to hygiene dietclean environment or decent wagesaccording to a study published in The Lancet. At the same time, food production accounts for almost 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Top experts collaborated in the study In nutrition, environmental science, economy, agriculture, justice and health policy From all over the world, in order to provide the most powerful scientific evaluation of food systems and wages. Food systems include all processes and bodies involved in population diet by production and processing until distribution and consumptionas well as the relevant contexts of governance and policy.
The greenhouse gas emissions, which makes them one of its main factors climate changecome from a plethora of activities, such as meat production, rice production, land use and deforestation.
The report also highlights the intense inequality that have the environmental impacts of today’s dietary patterns on different socio -economic groups. Specifically, the diet of the richest 30% of the world population is responsible for about the 70% of total environmental pressures caused by food systems.
On the contrary, about 3.7 billion people do not have access to affordable healthy eating, fair wages and safe environments. Millions children are still employed in agricultural work and the 32% Food workers are not paid with decent salaries. Especially women face systematic payroll inequalities And they do not have sufficient representation.
This inequality and environmental damage found threatens human health And the durability of the Earth is emphasized by experts.
The study proposes the planetary healthy diet, which emphasizes minimally processed foods rich in fiber with moderately intake of animal products and is associated with 27% lower risk premature death.
It is estimated that the global adoption of this dietary standard could potentially prevent about 15 million premature deaths per year and significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Study authors call for targeted policies for improvement Accessibility to nutritional foods, securing fair wages and working conditions and strengthening marginalized communities in order to substantially participate in governance.