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Sustainable diets: where from and where to?
Lesley Macheka1, Rebecca Kanter2, Mark Lawrence3
1Department of Food Processing Technology, Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Marondera, Zimbabwe.
Journal of Nutritional Science
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Sustainable diets are healthful, affordable, and culturally acceptable, balancing public health and environmental needs. Achieving them requires inclusive strategies, system change, and political will for global goals.
Area of Science:
- Explores the multifaceted dimensions of sustainable diets.
- Integrates food systems, public health, environmental sustainability, and cultural acceptability.
Background:
- Defines sustainable diets as healthful, low-environmental-impact, affordable, and culturally acceptable.
- Traces research evolution from environmental focus to comprehensive frameworks including affordability and nutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the multilevel dimensions of sustainable diets.
- To discuss innovations, trade-offs, and policy needs for promoting sustainable diets.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and discussion of research history and innovations.
- Analysis of case studies (Mediterranean, Traditional Lebanese, African Indigenous Foods).
- Examination of policy, governance, and measurement challenges.
Main Results:
- Sustainable diets are diverse, context-specific pathways shaped by local factors.
- Identifies conflicts and trade-offs between sustainability and nutrition, especially in LMICs.
- Highlights innovations like the Planetary Health Diet and SHARP model.
Conclusions:
- Achieving sustainable diets necessitates fairer, culturally diverse inclusion, system change, and political determination.
- Sustainable diets are crucial for the 2030 Agenda, planetary health, and social integrity.
- Advocates for improved indicators and participatory approaches for measuring sustainable food systems.
Keywords:
AIVs, African Indigenous VegetablesCIHEAM, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic StudiesCOVID-19, Coronavirus Disease 2019DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop HypertensionEPIS, Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (Framework)Environmental sustainabilityFAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsFBDGs, Food-Based Dietary GuidelinesFood systemsGHG, Greenhouse GasHSR, Health Star Rating (System)IFMeD, International Foundation of Mediterranean DietIndigenous foodsLMD, Lebanese Mediterranean DietLMICs, Low- and Middle-Income CountriesSDGs, Sustainable Development GoalsSFS, Sustainable Food SystemSHARP, Sustainable, Healthy, Affordable, Reliable, and Preferable (Diet Model)Sustainable dietsTLD, Traditional Lebanese DietUNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUPF, Ultra-Processed FoodsWHO, World Health OrganizationaHEI, Alternate Healthy Eating Index
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