Abstract
Shifting from current dietary patterns to diets rich in plant-based [PB] foods and lower in animal-based foods (ABF) is regarded as a suitable strategy to improve nutritional health and reduce adverse environmental impacts – particularly in high-income countries (HIC). Novel plant-based foods (NPBF) - products specifically designed to mimic and/or replace ABF - could facilitate such shifts. Given their market expansion, a comprehensive overview of the health and sustainability of these foods is urgently needed for informed decision-making regarding their potential use in dietary change. After systematically searching 5 scientific literature databases, we synthesized the available evidence from peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2016 and 2022 reporting nutrient composition, and environmental and health impacts of NPBF in HIC. We identified 57 peer-reviewed and 35 grey literature sources. We developed a qualitative pooled and descriptive analysis, and data visualization by product type and food group based on primary ingredient. Overall, we observed that NPBF had substantially less environmental impact compared to ABF. Although NPBF were found to be a potential source of fibre, fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes, content of these and other nutrients ranged across brands, product type and main primary ingredient. From the limited evidence, most NPBF were associated with positive health outcomes including weight maintenance and gut health. If carefully designed, NPBF could play a pivotal role in the transition to meet environmental and health targets. Prioritization of nutritional food standards, labelling, long-term health studies and affordability considerations are required for more accurate evidence-based decision making.
Presenters
Sarah Nájera EspinosaStudent, PhD Candidate, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Plant-based, Meat substitutes, Dairy substitutes, Diet change, Climate change, Sustainable
