What does this research mean for the field?

Higher dietary species richness is associated with increased environmental impacts, demonstrating that increasing food biodiversity alone does not improve environmental sustainability. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether consuming a greater diversity of biological food species is associated with lower life cycle environmental impacts in the Dutch population.

September 5, 2026European Journal of NutritionOpen Access

Does higher food biodiversity in the Dutch diet lead to lower environmental impact?

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Authors

RBRosalie E. Bakker RLRosa Leek RVReina E. Vellinga

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Overview

Cross-sectional study reveals higher food biodiversity correlates with increased environmental footprints in Dutch individuals, indicating that diversifying diets alone cannot lower ecological burden.

Key Points

To determine whether consuming a greater diversity of biological food species is associated with lower life cycle environmental impacts in the Dutch population.
Analyzed dietary intake from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2012–2016 using two 24-hour dietary recalls to calculate Dietary Species Richness (DSR Total, DSR Plant, DSR Animal).
Calculated six environmental impact metrics using the Dutch life cycle assessment food database and evaluated relationships via multivariable linear regression adjusting for sociodemographic factors and total intake.
Higher total DSR scores were significantly associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions (β = 0.107, 95% CI 0.076 to 0.138) and greater freshwater eutrophication (β = 1.28e−5, 95% CI 1.04e−5 to 1.51e−5).
Greater food biodiversity also correlated with higher land use (β = 0.049, 95% CI 0.032 to 0.067) and blue water consumption (β = 0.014, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.015), with associations attenuating but remaining largely significant after adjusting for total intake.

Cite This Study

Bakker et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd49d6b95aff0620ec5bc https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-026-04092-7

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September 5, 2026European Journal of NutritionOpen Access

Does higher food biodiversity in the Dutch diet lead to lower environmental impact?

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RBRosalie E. Bakker RLRosa Leek RVReina E. Vellinga

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Key Points

To determine whether consuming a greater diversity of biological food species is associated with lower life cycle environmental impacts in the Dutch population.
Analyzed dietary intake from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2012–2016 using two 24-hour dietary recalls to calculate Dietary Species Richness (DSR Total, DSR Plant, DSR Animal).
Calculated six environmental impact metrics using the Dutch life cycle assessment food database and evaluated relationships via multivariable linear regression adjusting for sociodemographic factors and total intake.
Higher total DSR scores were significantly associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions (β = 0.107, 95% CI 0.076 to 0.138) and greater freshwater eutrophication (β = 1.28e−5, 95% CI 1.04e−5 to 1.51e−5).
Greater food biodiversity also correlated with higher land use (β = 0.049, 95% CI 0.032 to 0.067) and blue water consumption (β = 0.014, 95% CI 0.012 to 0.015), with associations attenuating but remaining largely significant after adjusting for total intake.

Cite This Study

Bakker et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd49d6b95aff0620ec5bc https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-026-04092-7

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