Researchers highlight need for sustainable healthy diet in Lebanon to alleviate food insecurity

Since 2019, Lebanon had been facing civil unrest, sudden restriction on access to foreign currencies, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive explosion at the Port of Beirut in 2020, which have worsened people’s livelihoods, food security, and health situation.

These factors combined have affected food security including availability, access, and utilisation, made worst by movement restrictions, loss of income, and price inflation of food and non-food items.

For a country which relies heavily on food imports, the United Nations estimates that over 50% of the Lebanese population might be at risk of failing to access basic food needs.

Adding to the existing triple-burden of malnutrition in the country including hunger, micronutrient deficiencies, and escalating obesity and non-communicable diseases, researchers have developed an evidence-based sustainable and healthy diet that promote human health and at the same time control cost and mitigate environmental impact.

It was achieved using an optimisation mathematical model that generates optimal diet solutions that are healthy, of low cost and satisfy the adequate nutrient needs of adults in Lebanon, while taking into consideration environmental sustainability aspects.

In this study partially funded by FAO, researchers from Lebanon, Italy and UAE have optimised the average Lebanon diet to include a higher intake of whole grain bread, dark green vegetables, dairy products, and legumes, and lower intake of refined bread, meat, poultry, added sugars, saturated fat.