In recent years, the global shift toward plant-based diets has gained notable momentum, yet only about 1.1% of the world population identifies as vegan. Despite this seemingly small figure, the trend is accelerating, as evidenced by substantial increases in countries like Germany, where the vegan population doubled from 1% to 2% between 2016 and 2020. The United Kingdom anticipates an even more dramatic rise, projecting a 2.4-fold increase from 2023 to 2025, reaching 4.7%. This burgeoning interest reflects a growing recognition of the profound health and environmental benefits associated with reducing animal-based food consumption.
One of the primary drivers behind adopting veganism or plant-based diets is the emphasis on human health. Transitioning from a conventional Western diet to a vegan nutritional regime has been linked to significant health outcomes, including an 18% to 21% reduction in premature mortality associated with noncommunicable diseases. This connection underlines the potential for dietary changes to mitigate the burden of chronic illnesses, which represent a dominant challenge for global health systems.
Beyond individual health, environmental sustainability presents an equally compelling impetus for embracing plant-based diets. A critical study published in Frontiers in Nutrition rigorously quantified the ecological advantages of veganism and other plant-based regimens, analyzing their contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, land usage, and water consumption. This comprehensive evaluation drew upon a systematic comparison of four distinct dietary models, each carefully calibrated to provide equivalent caloric intake while differing substantially in animal product content.
The investigative team led by Dr. Noelia Rodriguez-Martín, a postdoctoral researcher affiliated with the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Granada, employed a meticulous modelling approach to generate four menu types: a Mediterranean omnivorous diet, a pesco-vegetarian diet including seafood, an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet featuring dairy and eggs, and a fully vegan diet. Each menu was designed to deliver 2,000 kilocalories daily, adhering strictly to nutritional guidelines established by authoritative bodies such as the Spanish Society for Community Nutrition and the European Food Safety Authority.
Nutrient profiling leveraged extensive food composition databases, including Spain’s BEDCA and the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central, enabling precise quantification of macronutrients and 22 essential vitamins and minerals. Particular attention was paid to vital nutrients such as linoleic and linolenic acids, diverse vitamin B isoforms, calcium, iron, and selenium. These analyses ensured that the nutritional adequacy of each diet was benchmarked against recommended intakes differentiated by sex and age groups, specifically targeting adults between 30 and 70 years of age.
Simultaneously, environmental impact was assessed using the AGRIBALYSE 3.1.1 database, a robust resource offering life-cycle assessments for myriad food products. This allowed a comprehensive ‘cradle-to-home’ evaluation of each diet’s environmental footprint across a spectrum of ecosystem indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions, land occupation, water use, ozone layer depletion, water eutrophication, and ecotoxicity. The use of an integrated impact score for land use provided a nuanced depiction of agricultural intensity and habitat encroachment.
The results were strikingly clear: transitioning from a Mediterranean omnivorous diet to a vegan diet resulted in a 46% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions, dropping from 3.8 kg to 2.1 kg of CO2 equivalents per day per individual. This substantial decline underscores the intensive carbon footprint associated with animal-based food production. Pesco-vegetarian and ovo-lacto-vegetarian diets also demonstrated intermediate benefits, reducing emissions to 3.2 kg and 2.6 kg CO2 equivalents respectively.
Similarly, water use exhibited a decreasing trend, albeit with a smaller magnitude—a 7% reduction from 10.2 to 9.5 cubic meters per day moving from omnivorous to vegan diets. Land use experienced a more pronounced contraction of 33%, as measured by weighted environmental impact scores, highlighting the intensive resource demands imposed by animal agriculture. Notably, the vegan diet achieved over a 50% reduction in several critical ecosystem impact categories relative to the omnivorous baseline.
The health implications paralleled these environmental gains. Modelled disease incidence decreased by more than 55% with the vegan diet, reaffirming the confluence of dietary patterns conducive to both planetary and personal well-being. Despite these benefits, the researchers identified particular nutrients warranting supplementary attention when following plant-based menus. Specifically, vitamin D, iodine, and vitamin B12 emerged as nutrients potentially insufficient without careful dietary planning or supplementation, consistent with existing nutritional science.
Dr. Rodriguez-Martín emphasized that the study’s findings illuminate a direct correlation: the higher the proportion of plant-derived foods in the diet, the smaller the ecological footprint. While pesco-vegetarian diets provide moderate environmental improvements, they incur additional costs linked to fishery practices. Ovo-lacto-vegetarian diets offer further reductions, and fully vegan diets represent the most considerable positive impact among the four dietary archetypes examined.
Crucially, the study dispels the notion that full veganism is an all-or-nothing requirement for environmental stewardship. Even incremental shifts towards plant-based eating patterns—such as reducing meat portions or increasing the frequency of plant-based meals—can substantially lower environmental burdens, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve vital natural resources. This message holds significant relevance for policy makers, health professionals, and consumers who may find gradual change more accessible.
In conclusion, this landmark modeling study substantiates the dual advantages of plant-forward diets in advancing human health and environmental sustainability. By quantitatively assessing the complex interplay between nutrient adequacy and ecological footprint, the research provides a compelling framework for dietary recommendations that align individual well-being with planetary health imperatives. The evidence clearly advocates for embracing plant-rich diets as a pivotal strategy in addressing the intertwined global challenges of chronic disease prevention and climate change mitigation.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Nutrient Adequacy and Environmental Foot-Print of Mediterranean, Pesco-, Ovo-lacto-, and Vegan Menus: A Modelling Study
News Publication Date: 11-Nov-2025
Web References:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1681512/full
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1681512
References:
Rodriguez-Martín, N., et al. (2025). Nutrient Adequacy and Environmental Foot-Print of Mediterranean, Pesco-, Ovo-lacto-, and Vegan Menus: A Modelling Study. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1681512
Image Credits: Not provided
Keywords: Plant-based diets, veganism, environmental footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient adequacy, Mediterranean diet, pesco-vegetarian, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, sustainable nutrition, chronic disease prevention, climate change mitigation, ecological impact
