Changing diets to tackle climate change ’unattainable’ for minority groups

Making food more affordable for ethnic minority groups is crucial to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our diets, scientists have suggested. According to a new study of food habits in the US, a healthy diet with lower environmental impacts is achievable for a large portion of the population. But it is unaffordable for up to 38% of Black and Hispanic individuals in the lowest income and education groups, twice the percentage of white individuals in the same group. Though the diets of individuals of higher socio-economic status are currently responsible for higher environmental impacts, these individuals are also more likely to be able to afford a shift to a healthier diet. The team of scientists say a diet including more whole grains, dairy, fruit and vegetables, seafood, and plant protein, combined with lower levels of added sugars, refined grains, saturated fats and sodium, could be achieved within current food budgets for 95% of the US population. This optimised diet would result in average decreases of 2% in food-related greenhouse gas emissions, 24% in land use and 4% in energy consumption; however, there would be a 28% increase in water consumption. The researchers say that while individuals with higher income and education levels are more likely to be self-motivated in changing their diets towards a healthy pattern, healthier diets can result in higher costs and potentially create a barrier for individuals of lower socio-economic status.