Context:
Multiple peer-reviewed studies (Scientific Reports, The Lancet – Healthy Longevity, Aug 2025) indicate that plant-based dietary patterns lower risks of cancer & cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., type-2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack).
Key Highlights:
Evidence Base
- Scientific Reports (Jul 2024) → used Healthy Lifestyle Index data from EPIC cohort → lifestyle variables + smoking + obesity + sleep
- Lancet Healthy Longevity (Aug 2025) → 2.3 lakh EPIC individuals + 1.81 lakh UK Biobank subjects
- Convergence of conclusions:
- higher adherence to plant-based diet = lower multimorbidity risk
- metabolic benefit via improved insulin resistance and reduction in adiposity
Environment Link
- Plant-based diets → lower GHG emissions than meat-heavy diets
- Mediterranean diet praised – but includes meat/fish; vegan diets exclude all animal products → lowest emissions
India Context
- ~35% Indians are vegetarians
- ~10% are vegans (exclude even milk)
- ~16.4% of urban India is diabetic; 8% rural diabetic
- ~29% adults smoke tobacco/bidis/hookah → cancer driver
- Oral cancer risk ↑ due to betel nut + tobacco chewing (rural)
Relevant Prelims Points:
- “Multimorbidity” = presence of ≥2 chronic conditions in the same individual
- EPIC = European Prospective Investigation into Cancer & Nutrition (Europe-wide epidemiology cohort)
- UK Biobank = large long-term biomedical database from UK NHS registrants
Relevant Mains Points:
- Preventive health is more cost-effective than clinical treatment
- Food systems transitions → part of Nutrition-For-All & SDG-3
- Public health messaging must integrate diet + lifestyle + tobacco control
Way Forward: - India → scalable plant-protein supply chains + millets + agro-ecology + behavioural nudges in Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs)