Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Whopper Of A Report: Only One Burger A Week Is Best For Your Health And The Planet
The Associated Press: Less Beef, More Beans. Experts Say World Needs A New Diet
A hamburger a week, but no more — that's about as much red meat people should eat to do what's best for their health and the planet, according to a report seeking to overhaul the world's diet. Eggs should be limited to fewer than about four a week, the report says. Dairy foods should be about a serving a day, or less. (1/16)
CNN: Planetary Health Diet Could Help Save Lives And The Planet
To enable a healthy global population, the team of scientists created a global reference diet, that they call the "planetary health diet," which is an ideal daily meal plan for people over the age of 2, that they believe will help reduce chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as environmental degradation. The diet breaks down the optimal daily intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, dairy, protein, fats and sugars, representing a daily total calorie intake of 2500. (Avramova, 1/17)
The New York Times: New Diet Guidelines To Benefit People And The Planet: More Greens For All, Less Meat For Some
Written by 37 scientists from 16 countries and published Wednesday in the medical journal The Lancet, in conjunction with an advocacy group called the EAT Forum, the report was funded by the Wellcome Trust and Stordalen Foundation. In addition to the recommendations on meat, it calls for curbing food waste, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and overhauling agriculture so it doesn’t worsen deforestation and the depletion of scarce water. “It’s not a blanket approach, but when you look at the data there are certain individuals or populations that don’t need that much red meat for their own health,” said Jessica Fanzo, a professor of food policy at Johns Hopkins University and a co-author of the report. “There’s a real inequity. Some people get too much. Some people get too little.” (Sengupta, 1/16)
Reuters: Scientists Reveal 'Ideal Diet' For Peoples' And Planet's Health
Feeding a growing population of 10 billion people by 2050 with a healthy, sustainable diet will be impossible without transforming eating habits, improving food production and reducing food waste, he said. "We need a significant overhaul, changing the global food system on a scale not seen before." (1/16)
Kaiser Health News: Why Older Adults Should Eat More Protein (And Not Overdo Protein Shakes)
Older adults need to eat more protein-rich foods when they’re trying to lose weight, dealing with a chronic or acute illness, or facing a hospitalization, according to a growing consensus among scientists. During these stressful periods, aging bodies process protein less efficiently and need more of it to maintain muscle mass and strength, bone health and other essential physiological functions. (Graham, 1/17)
