2026/07/11 by Benjamin Oebel, L. Stein, S. Kleemann +1 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · Medicine · #Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact #Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability #Nutritional Studies and Diet
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.clfs.2026.100053
openalex publication_date 2026/07/11 · openalex created_date 2026/07/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Unhealthy diets shorten life expectancy and impose hidden health costs that are not reflected in food prices. Here, we present a framework that links consumption of specific foods to changes in life expectancy and associated health costs, thereby translating diet-related disease burden into intuitive, product-level metrics. While existing assessments largely focus on healthcare expenditures, our framework integrates both societal costs and the individual burden of premature mortality. Using Germany as an illustrative case study and data from the Global Burden of Disease study, we estimate current dietary patterns to be associated with an average annual loss of 11.8 days of life expectancy per person, corresponding to approximately 2.6 years over a lifetime. At the product level, red and processed meat intake shortens life expectancy by 1.9 and 1.7 hours per kilogram consumed, respectively, whereas the consumption of legumes, whole grains, and fruits is associated with gains in life expectancy of approximately 0.7, 0.5, and 0.4 hours. Based on the selected valuation approach, the average German dietary pattern corresponds to annual hidden health costs of €3,774 per capita, of which 85% arise from premature mortality. Benchmarking against the Planetary Health Diet indicates that the underconsumption of protective, predominantly plant-based dietary components constitutes a major driver of diet-related health losses. By translating epidemiological evidence into transparent food-level metrics, the framework supports the assessment and communication of dietary health impacts within sustainable food systems. In the German case study, the findings highlight substitution-based dietary changes as potential leverage points for improving population health and informing nutrition-policy development.