EAT-Lancet Report Faces Misinformation as Updated Version Strengthens Climate Diet Evidence

A new investigation by Changing Markets has uncovered a deliberate effort to undermine the 2019 EAT-Lancet report. The report, which links healthy diets to environmental sustainability, faced widespread misinformation and coordinated attacks on social media. Now, an updated version has been released with stronger evidence supporting its findings. The original EAT-Lancet report proposed a planetary health diet—one rich in nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, with far less meat, dairy, and sugar. Researchers argued that such a diet could prevent up to 15 million premature deaths each year. It also highlighted that food systems contribute nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2019, the report has been targeted by misleading campaigns. Social media platforms, weakened by reduced fact-checking, allowed false claims to spread rapidly. AI-generated deepfakes and fake news further amplified distortions, making it harder for accurate information to reach the public. At the same time, carnivore diets gained popularity, pushed by online influencers, manosphere podcasts, and movements like 'Make America Healthy Again' in the US. These trends clashed directly with the report’s recommendations, which emphasise plant-based foods for both human and planetary health. The updated EAT-Lancet Commission report reinforces its earlier conclusions. It calls for stronger dietary guidelines, reduced food waste, support for local produce, and a shift toward sustainable farming. If adopted, these changes could cut emissions by over 50% while improving public health.

The updated report reaffirms the need for diets that benefit both people and the planet. Misleading campaigns and weakened fact-checking have slowed progress, but the evidence remains clear. Adopting the proposed changes could drastically reduce emissions and save millions of lives each year.