What Is the Planetary Health Diet, and Can It Extend Your Life?

Following a diet that contains fewer processed foods is a way to slow climate change and boost health People who follow the Planetary Health Diet had a 30% lower risk of early death compared to others, researchers found Every major cause of death, including cancer and heart disease, was affected MONDAY, June 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A plant-based eating regimen designed to save the Earth also saves people's lives, a large study confirms. "Shifting how we eat can help slow the process of climate change," said corresponding author , a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H.

Chan School of Public Health. "And what's healthiest for the planet is also healthiest for humans." Known as the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), the regimen emphasizes minimally processed plant foods, while modest intake of meat and dairy foods are allowed.

While other studies have shown that have benefits for the planet and people alike, most have looked at one point in time. The new study drew on health data from more than 200,000 men and women who were followed for up to 34 years. Researchers found those whose diets most closely hewed to the PHD regimen had a 30% lower risk of early death compared to those whose diets were the least like it.

That was true for every major cause of death -- cancer, heart disease and lung disease, the study found. None of the participants had major chronic illnesses at the outset. They completed dietary questionnaires every four years and were scored based .