• The new EAT-Lancet report urges a major shift toward plant-based diets worldwide.

• It recommends limiting red meat to 15 grams per day to improve health and curb emissions.

• The proposal has reignited debate, especially in developing regions where meat intake is already low.

More than six years after introducing the “Planetary Health Diet” (PHD), the EAT-Lancet Commission—a scientific initiative by the EAT Foundation and medical journal The Lancet—has renewed its call to transform global food systems. Its latest report, released on Thursday, October 2, stresses the urgent need to reduce meat consumption, particularly red meat, which it says should make up only a small part of human diets.

A fairer, less meat-heavy diet

The study, led by about 40 researchers from around the world, warns that the current food system is reaching its limits. Although global agriculture produces enough calories to feed everyone, nearly one billion people still suffer from hunger while more than 40% of adults are overweight or obese.

The report also highlights inequalities: the wealthiest 30% of the population are responsible for over 70% of food-related environmental impacts, while one in three food sector workers earns below a living wage.

According to the researchers, adopting the Planetary Health Diet could help redesign global food systems—responsible for about one-third of greenhouse gas emissions—and make healthy eating more equitable.

The plan promotes a plant-based diet with limited animal products and reduced intake of added sugars, saturated fats, and salt. It suggests capping red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) at an average of 15 grams per day, while dairy should total around 250 grams, poultry 30 grams, vegetables 200 grams, fruits 300 grams, and whole grains 210 grams daily.

According to the report, recent and robust data confirm a strong link to improved health outcomes, lower overall mortality, and a sharp decline in chronic diet-related diseases.

If adopted globally, the researchers estimate the model could prevent 15 million premature deaths per year—a 27% reduction in diet-related mortality. Overall, transforming the global food system would require between $200 billion and $500 billion annually but could generate up to $5 trillion in yearly benefits through lower health costs, restored ecosystems, and climate action.

A still-divisive issue

The new findings have reignited debate on the feasibility and fairness of large-scale dietary change. While the study was meant to update its 2019 version, critics note that the new recommendations remain nearly identical, with the red meat limit barely changed—from 14 to 15 grams per day.

Some experts also point out that the report overlooks key disparities, especially in developing regions such as Africa, where meat consumption is already low and access to animal protein remains unequal.

Although livestock accounts for about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, applying a uniform target worldwide risks ignoring regional differences.

In many African and Asian countries, per capita meat consumption averages just 15 kilograms per year, compared to more than 100 kilograms in the United States. In regions where diets are already dominated by grains and tubers, further cuts to meat consumption could worsen nutritional deficiencies and overlook the deeper issue of food accessibility and security.