Environmental Sustainability Perspectives of the Nordic Diet

Abstract

“The Nordic diet” is an umbrella term that encompasses any interpretation that combines Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) with local Nordic foods. The five Nordic countries have collaborated on Nordic Nutrition Recommendations for forty years, including FBDGs, so their national guidelines are similar. The countries also share similar public health issues, including widespread nonconformity to the guidelines, although in different ways. The aim of this concept paper is to discuss environmental sustainability aspects of the Nordic diet, describe the status of and make suggestions for the inclusion of sustainability in future work on the Nordic diet. We exploit the sustainability–health synergy. A food intake more in line with the current FBDGs, which emphasises more plant-based and less animal-based foods, is necessary for high environmental sustainability. In turn, sustainability is an important motivator for health-promoting dietary shifts. Policy development requires long-term efforts. Since the Nordic diet can be considered a further development and improvement of old, traditional diets, there is huge potential to formulate a Nordic diet that benefits both human and planetary health. It is time for concerted engagement and actions—a new Nordic nutrition transition.

Replacing Animal-Based Proteins with Plant-Based Proteins Changes the Composition of a Whole Nordic Diet—A Randomised Clinical Trial in Healthy Finnish Adults

“…Based on the latest FinDiet study [3], the consumption of legumes and legume-based products were very low in Finland, contributing only 1% of total energy in both men and women, and being far from the recommended goals. Our results show that a substantial increase in legume consumption and a decrease in red meat consumption is feasible in Nordic dietary setting, paving the way for a much-needed shift towards more plant-based diets [6]. Nevertheless, the transformation at the population level takes time and we need to think appropriate measures to promote the change.…”

“…The average weekly consumption of red and processed meat was 762 g in men and 392 g in women, while Finnish national nutrition recommendations suggest an upper limit of 500 g for weekly consumption [4], World Cancer Research Fund recommends a range of 350-500 g/wk [5], and Planetary Health Diet a range of 0-200 g of red meat per week [1]). Current data from the Nordic Countries show that the typical diets in the area are neither healthy nor environmentally sustainable [6]. Thus, there is a need for a dietary shift towards decreasing especially the consumption of animal-based protein sources [6].…”

“…Current data from the Nordic Countries show that the typical diets in the area are neither healthy nor environmentally sustainable [6]. Thus, there is a need for a dietary shift towards decreasing especially the consumption of animal-based protein sources [6].…”

Development of a Danish Adapted Healthy Plant-Based Diet Based on the EAT-Lancet Reference Diet

“…Denmark has two sets of official dietary recommendations: the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (the NNR), which provide a basis for evaluating the intake of nutrients and planning diets [29], and the Danish food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) [30], which provide advice on foods and food groups which supply the required nutrients and promote overall health and prevent chronic diseases [31]. The NNR has been revised and updated five times over the last forty years, most recently in 2012, with a sixth update planned for 2022 [32]. Environmental sustainability is discussed in one chapter in the current NNR, however, sustainability has not been integrated into the Danish FBDG.…”

Ilmastokriisi ja kansanterveys – on tekojen aika

“…Suomessa pohjoismainen yhteistyö on muodostanut hyvän pohjan terveellisen ja kestävän ruokavalion vahvistamiselle (Meltzer ym. 2019).…”