A groundbreaking study from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health has established a strong connection between the environmental impacts of food choices and human health damage, marking the first time this has been quantified in Spain.

Published in Environmental Research, the study employed advanced Life Cycle Assessment methodology to evaluate the impacts of the food system from production through to consumption.

The research highlights that hypothetical dietary changes, such as swapping red and processed meats for white meat, yield minor health benefits, whereas a complete transition to a plant-based diet could reduce health impacts by as much as 30%.

Moreover, replacing all meat and dairy with plant-based foods could lead to a 30% reduction in environmental health damage, with an additional 5% improvement possible through the elimination of food waste, totaling a potential 35% enhancement.

The findings reveal that animal-based foods, including meat, fish, seafood, and dairy, account for 55% of health damage linked to food demand, indicating a significantly higher health burden compared to plant-based options.

Climate change emerged as the most critical environmental factor impacting health, contributing to 77% of the total health impact, followed by particulate matter formation at 16% and human toxicity at 7%.

In 2022, the environmental impact of food demand in Spain was associated with a staggering loss of 447,152 disability-adjusted life years (DALY), with 95% attributed to food consumption and 5% to food waste.

The study's data was derived from 2022 food surveys conducted by Spain's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which assessed various environmental indicators and their health consequences.

These findings underscore the potential for public health improvements through sustainable dietary practices, providing a scientific foundation for future food policy development in Spain.

The research emphasizes the dual benefits of promoting sustainable and healthier eating habits, which can enhance both environmental health and public health.

Nutritional assessments indicated that substituting meat and dairy with plant-based alternatives would align dietary intake more closely with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, improving fiber and iron intake while slightly reducing protein and calcium.

Ultimately, the study suggests that modifying consumption patterns and reducing food waste could prevent up to 35% of health impacts associated with food demand.