Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38982483›Full record

ArticleNutrition journal2024

Differences in the cost and environmental impact between the current diet in Brazil and healthy and sustainable diets: a modeling study.

Thaís Cristina Marquezine Caldeira, Stefanie Vandevijvere, Boyd Swinburn, Sally Mackay, Rafael Moreira Claro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nutrition journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. EAT-Nutrients · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Neighborhood Vulnerability and the Consumer Food Environment in an Urban Area.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Disparity in meat consumption: An obstacle to achieving the golden rule of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines?Epidemiologia e servicos de saude : revista do Sistema Unico de Saude do Brasil · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Thaís Cristina Marquezine CaldeiraPostgraduate Program in Public Health, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenue Professor Alfredo Balena, 190, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte, 30130-100, Brazil. thaismarquezinec@gmail.com.
Stefanie VandevijvereSciensano, Brussels, Belgium.
Boyd SwinburnFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Sally MackayFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Rafael Moreira ClaroNutrition Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Funding

International Development Research Centre 109472-005
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile healthy and sustainable diets benefit human and planetary health, their monetary cost has a direct impact on consumer food choices. This study aimed to identify the cost and environmental impact of the current Brazilian diet (CBD) and compare it with healthy and sustainable diets.

methodsData from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey 2017/18 and the Footprints of Foods and Culinary Preparations Consumed in Brazil database were used for a modeling study comparing the cost of healthy and sustainable diets (based on the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines (BDG) diet and the EAT-Lancet diet) versus the CBD. The DIETCOST program generated multiple food baskets for each scenario (Montecarlo simulations). Nutritional quality, cost, and environmental impact measures (carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF)) were estimated for all diets and compared by ANOVA. Simple linear regressions used standardized environmental impacts measures to estimate differentials in costs and environmental impacts among diets scenarios.

resultsWe observed significant differences in costs/1000 kcal. The BDG diet was cheaper (BRL$4.9 (95%IC:4.8;4.9) ≈ USD$1.5) than the CBD (BRL$5.6 (95%IC:5.6;5.7) ≈ USD$1.8) and the EAT-Lancet diet (BRL$6.1 (95%IC:6.0;6.1) ≈ USD$1.9). Ultra-processed foods (UPF) and red meat contributed the most to the CBD cost/1000 kcal, while fruits and vegetables made the lowest contribution to CBD. Red meat, sugary drinks, and UPF were the main contributors to the environmental impacts of the CBD. The environmental impact/1000 kcal of the CBD was nearly double (CF:3.1 kg(95%IC: 3.0;3.1); WF:2,705 L 95%IC:2,671;2,739)) the cost of the BDG diet (CF:1.4 kg (95%IC:1.4;1.4); WF:1,542 L (95%IC:1,524;1,561)) and EAT-Lancet diet (CF:1.1 kg (95%IC:1.0;1.1); WF:1,448 L (95%IC:1,428;1,469)). A one standard deviation increase in standardized CF corresponded to an increase of BRL$0.48 in the cost of the CBD, similar to standardized WF (BRL$0.56). A similar relationship between the environmental impact and the cost of the BDG (CF: BRL$0.20; WF: BRL$0.33) and EAT-Lancet (CF: BRL$0.04; WF: BRL$0.18) was found, but with a less pronounced effect.

conclusionsThe BDG diet was cost-effective, while the EAT-Lancet diet was slightly pricier than the CBD. The CBD presented almost double the CF and WF compared to the BDG and EAT-Lancet diets. The lower cost in each diet was associated with lower environmental impact, particularly for the BDG and EAT-Lancet diets. Multisectoral public policies must be applied to guide individuals and societies towards healthier and more sustainable eating patterns.

Indexed as

DietDiet, HealthyEnvironmentBrazilCarbon FootprintCosts and Cost AnalysisHumansNutrition PolicyNutritive ValueBrazilCostDietEAT-Lancet dietPublic healthSustainable development

Identifiers

PMID38982483
PMCPMC11234630

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.