Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39026215›Full record

ArticleNutrition journal2024

Effects of a cafeteria-based sustainable diet intervention on the adherence to the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet and greenhouse gas emissions of consumers: a quasi-experimental study at a large German hospital.

Laura Harrison, Alina Herrmann, Claudia Quitmann, Gabriele Stieglbauer, Christin Zeitz, Bernd Franke, Ina Danquah

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 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–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

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. How Sustainable Are Hospital Menus in the United Kingdom? Identifying Untapped Potential Based on a Novel Scoring System for Plant-Based Provisions.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    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

7 authors.

Laura HarrisonHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany. laura.harrison@uni-heidelberg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-5633-6949
Alina HerrmannHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
Claudia QuitmannHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6470-8847
Gabriele StieglbauerHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2348-519X
Christin ZeitzIfeu - Institut Für Energie- Und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH, Wilckensstr. 3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
Bernd FrankeIfeu - Institut Für Energie- Und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH, Wilckensstr. 3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
Ina DanquahHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3222-3498

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSustainable diets contribute to improving human health and reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). Here, we established the effects of a facility-based sustainable diet intervention on the adherence to the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet and GHGE of consumers.

methodsIn this quasi-experiment, vegan menus and educational material on sustainable diets were provided in the largest cafeteria of a German hospital for 3 months. Regular customers (> 1/week) in this cafeteria (intervention group) and in all other hospital cafeterias (control group) completed a questionnaire about their sociodemographic and dietary characteristics before and after the intervention period. We calculated difference-in-differences (DID), their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values for the adherence to the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI; 0-42 score points) and food-related GHGE. The protocol was registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (reference: DRKS00032620).

findingsIn this study population (N = 190; age range: 18-79 years; women: 67%; highest level of formal education: 63%), the mean baseline PHDI (25·1 ± 4·8 vs. 24·7 ± 5·8 points) and the mean baseline GHGE (3·3 ± 0·8 vs. 3·3 ± 0·7 kg CO2-eq./d) were similar between the intervention (n = 92) and the control group (n = 98). The PHDI increase was 0·6 points (95% CI: -0·4, + 1·6) higher in the intervention group than in the control group. This trend was stronger among frequent consumers of the vegan menu than among rare and never consumers. No between-group difference was seen for GHGE changes (DID: 0·0; 95% CI: -0·2, + 0·1 kg CO2-eq./d).

interpretationPending verification in a longer-term project and a larger sample, this quasi-experiment in a big hospital in Germany suggests that offering vegan menus and information material in the cafeteria enhances the adherence to healthy and environmentally friendly diets among regular customers. These findings argue for making sustainable food choices the default option and for improving nutrition literacy.

fundingFederal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), Else-Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS), Robert-Bosch Foundation (RBS).

Indexed as

Diet, HealthyGreenhouse GasesAdolescentAdultAgedDiet, VegetarianFemaleFood Service, HospitalGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultGreenhouse GasesDifference-in-differencesEAT-Lancet Planetary Health DietGreenhouse gas emissionsPlant-based dietsVegan

Identifiers

PMID39026215
PMCPMC11256364

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.