Sustainable diets are increasingly seen as a way to reduce the impact of human activities on the planet as well as to improve population health. It is thought that food is responsible for up to 30% of the environmental impact of household consumption, and recently sustainability has been added to dietary goals in several countries.
Previously, a programme called Number Muncher Diets had been developed by Rowett and BioSS scientists using mathematic modelling to generate a healthy balanced weekly shopping list based on cost or environmental impact. This has now been developed into the Greatest Grocery List that will suggest food swaps to improve the health, and environmental impact of a shopping basket.
The mathematics behind the new tool ensures that dietary recommendations are all met. If users agree to a suggested food swap, then the programme will continue with suggestions until a diet satisfying all requirements is achieved. Users are able to set nutritional targets as well as those for greenhouse gas emissions and cost.
This innovative shopping basket tool is very promising but requires more investigation and optimisation before it is fully operational and user friendly.
Would you like to read more? Our full blog was originally post here
This work was conducted by Dr Graham Horgan, Dr Bram Boskamp, Professor Baukje de Roos, and Dr Ruth Slater.
The project was supported by a SEFARI Responsive Opportunity Fund
