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Evaluating Food Procurement against the EAT- Lancet Planetary Health Diet in a Sample of U.S. Universities

Author

Listed:
  • Jaclyn Bertoldo

    (Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Abby Fammartino

    (Strategic Initiatives Group, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY 12538, USA)

  • Sophie Egan

    (R&DE Stanford Food Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Roni A. Neff

    (Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
    Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Rebecca Grekin

    (Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Julia A. Wolfson

    (Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
    Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

Abstract

Aligning institutional food procurement with planetary health targets offers opportunities to improve nutrition and reduce food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study compared foods procured by 19 university dining programs in the U.S. in 2022 with the EAT- Lancet planetary health diet. Each university’s procurement was then modeled to align with the EAT- Lancet planetary health diet, and changes to Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and GHG emissions were evaluated. For a subset of universities that provided cost data, changes in annual total food costs were also estimated. Universities in this study exceeded EAT- Lancet planetary health targets for beef ( x - = 657% of target), pork ( x - = 587%), poultry ( x - = 379%), and eggs ( x - = 293%). All universities failed to achieve planetary health targets for legumes and nuts ( x - = 39% of the target) and vegetables ( x - = 68%). Aligning food procurement with the planetary health diet would result in an estimated average 46.1% reduction in GHG emissions and a 19.7 point increase in HEI scores. Universities that provided cost data saw an average 9.7% reduction in food costs in the EAT- Lancet -aligned scenario. The procurement metrics assessed in this study can help university dining programs and other institutional food service organizations set goals and monitor progress toward planetary health targets.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaclyn Bertoldo & Abby Fammartino & Sophie Egan & Roni A. Neff & Rebecca Grekin & Julia A. Wolfson, 2024. "Evaluating Food Procurement against the EAT- Lancet Planetary Health Diet in a Sample of U.S. Universities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(7), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:7:p:945-:d:1438623
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