Beyond Meatless Monday

Beyond Meatless Monday

In 2003 Johns Hopkins School of Public Health joined an initiative aimed at reducing meat consumption for the combined health, environmental, and financial benefits. The movement was coined “Meatless Monday” in the US and has spread internationally with some success. Today there’s substantial evidence that reducing red meat consumption and adopting a more plant-based diet can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 Diabetes and certain cancers. The numerous health benefits of plant-forward eating are generally accepted as proven science. The cost benefits may be controversial, depending on who you ask and what is being compared.

Processed plant-based meat alternatives, like a well-known brand of veggie burger or mock chicken nuggets, are more expensive than their animal-based cousins. But whole food plant proteins like beans, lentils and tofu are cheaper; they may just require more effort in the home kitchen. These price comparisons may not factor in government subsidies or the highly industrialized process of producing meat.

Other benefits of plant-based may be less top-of-mind for us as health care providers. These include improved environmental sustainability, social justice and food security. Food production, for example, accounts for roughly a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) which is associated with global warming.  Meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% of total emissions. And so, a widescale movement away from meat to plant-based diets could have a large, positive effect on climate change.

In 2019 the EAT-Lancet Commission gathered experts in nutrition, health, agriculture, and the environment to review the literature and to promote a global shift toward healthy and sustainable diets. Very recently the report was updated, taking into account newer information and analysis of food systems in a post-pandemic world. Ultimately the Commission recommends the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) to address both the ill health consequences and environmental degradation associated with current food systems and diets. The PHD is a flexitarian diet consisting largely of plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and unsaturated oils. It includes moderate amounts of fish and shellfish, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Red meat (beef, lamb, and pork) is included in small quantities. Processed meat, highly processed foods, added sugars, refined grains, and starchy vegetables are minimized. Although not prescriptive, the PHD can be roughly represented by food categories and proportions, allowing cultural contexts and practices to be considered.

The executive summary of EAT-Lancet 2025 is here.

For some of us Meatless Mondays may be a starting place to move to a more plant-based diet. Others may be close or have fully embraced a Planetary Health Diet. We can also encourage our patients to transition towards a PHD. It’s good for our/their health, and it’s good for the health of the planet.