This is not the EAT–Lancet Diet

Abstract

In their Correspondence on the EPIC-Oxford study of the EAT–Lancet diet, Anika Knuppel and colleagues1Knuppel A Papier K Key TJ Travis RC EAT–Lancet score and major health outcomes: the EPIC-Oxford study.Lancet. 2019; 394: 213-214Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (35) Google Scholar claimed that “In this large prospective cohort of British adults, the EAT–Lancet reference diet shows beneficial associations for ischaemic heart disease and diabetes”. The EAT–Lancet diet was minutely specified (from 5 g lard to 13 g egg), and totalled 2500 calories per day.2Willet W Rockström J Loken B et al.Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems.Lancet. 2019; 393: 447-492Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3424) Google Scholar Each line item also had a so-called possible range (minimum to maximum). Knuppel and colleagues devised a points system, ostensibly to represent the EAT–Lancet diet. One point was assigned for eating more vegetables, fruits, and nuts than the minimum amount in the EAT–Lancet diet, and one point was assigned for eating fewer grains, potatoes, eggs, beans, lentils, and soy foods, and less dairy, meat (red and white), fish, and sugar than the maximum amount in the EAT–Lancet diet. The intake of unsaturated and saturated fats were approximated in line with the reference diet. The maximum of 14 points was associated with the optimal outcomes for ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. This score could be attained by consuming a small apple (101 g), some tomatoes (201 g), 28 g nuts, 10 g of Kellogg's extra-fibre All-Bran,3Self Nutrition DataCereals ready-to-eat.https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1690/2Date accessed: July 9, 2019Google Scholar and nothing else whatsoever each day. This was an interesting exercise, but it did not examine the EAT–Lancet diet and therefore can conclude nothing about that diet. I report income from The Harcombe Diet and Columbus Publishing, outside the submitted work. This is not the EAT–Lancet Diet – Authors' replyWe thank Zoe Harcombe for her interest in our Correspondence.1 Harcombe voices thoughtful concern regarding the likeness of our EAT–Lancet score to the EAT–Lancet diet,2 and hence the score's ability to evaluate the diet's association with major health outcomes. Full-Text PDF EAT-Lancet score and major health outcomes: the EPIC-Oxford studyIn January, 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from the sustainable food systems report1 defined a universal reference diet to promote human and environmental health. To evaluate its association with the risk of major health outcomes, we used data from 46 069 participants enrolled throughout the UK in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Oxford study. Full-Text PDF