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Objective: To determine the differences in environmental impact and nutrient content of the current Dutch diet and four healthy diets aimed at lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions., Methods: GHG emissions (as proxy for environmental impact) and nutrient content of the current Dutch diet and four diets adhering to the Dutch food based dietary guidelines (Wheel of Five), were compared in a scenario study. Scenarios included a healthy diet with or without meat, and the same diets in which only foods with relatively low GHG emissions are chosen. For the current diet, data from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2007-2010 were used. GHG emissions (in kg CO 2 -equivalents) were based on life cycle assessments. Results are reported for men and women aged 19-30years and 31-50years., Results: The effect on GHG emissions of changing the current Dutch diet to a diet according to the Wheel of Five (corresponding with the current diet as close as possible), ranged from -13% for men aged 31-50years to +5% for women aged 19-30years. Replacing meat in this diet and/or consuming only foods with relatively low GHG emissions resulted in average GHG emission reductions varying from 28-46%. In the scenarios in which only foods with relatively low GHG emissions are consumed, fewer dietary reference intakes (DRIs) were met than in the other healthy diet scenarios. However, in all healthy diet scenarios the number of DRIs being met was equal to or higher than that in the current diet., Conclusions: Diets adhering to food based dietary guidelines did not substantially reduce GHG emissions compared to the current Dutch diet, when these diets stayed as close to the current diet as possible. Omitting meat from these healthy diets or consuming only foods with relatively low associated GHG emissions both resulted in GHG emission reductions of around a third. These findings may be used to expand food based dietary guidelines with information on how to reduce the environmental impact of healthy diets., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Graphical abstract Highlights • Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) and a Healthy Diet-index (DHD) are inversely correlated. • Employed males have the highest GHGEs and the lowest DHD. • Diet GHGEs are primarily determined by meat and total energy intake. • Different potential consumer strategies are considered. • Transition strategies are necessarily context specific. Abstract This paper aims to identify changes in food group consumption that may improve both health and sustainability scores of low-scoring population subgroups. As a case study, we assessed the impacts of the diets of a representative sample of Dutch consumers (age 18–75 y, n = 1242). The health impact of their diets was assessed using the Dutch Healthy Diet-index (DHD) and the environmental impact by greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs). As expected, a significant negative correlation was found between DHD and the GHGEs, indicating that health and sustainability can, to some extent, be improved in synergy with one another. Looking at population subgroups, (young) employed males were identified as an important target group (lowest DHD and highest GHGEs). Four food groups and energy were observed of which a reduced intake makes a diet healthier and more environmentally sustainable: meat, energy, cheese, snacks (cakes, pastry, biscuits, salted and fried snacks, potato chips), and alcohol. Besides, three food groups were observed of which an increased intake makes a diet healthier, but less environmentally sustainable when they do not replace other food groups: fruit, fish, and vegetables. Based on real-life differences in dietary patterns, four transition strategies were formulated that can raise the DHD and lower GHGEs: (I) Replacing snacks with fruit, especially between meals, (II) Replacing cheese with vegetables, during lunch as well as dinner, (III) Partly replacing meat with fish, (IV) Lowering the total energy intake, through reducing the consumption of alcoholic drinks. If deriving the highest environmental gain is the purpose of dietary adjustment, then halving the portions of meat consumed is a strategy (V). Actual unsustainable diet practices of specific subgroups require dedicated transition strategies. The study provides insights into the opportunities for improving both health and environmental sustainability scores of different population subgroups and underlines that these cannot be successfully achieved by adopting a single strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]