Building a better food system

When we talk about healthy eating, the conversation often focuses on personal choices. But according to Marc Bellemare, a professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, changing the way the world eats is a complex puzzle that goes far beyond individual decision-making. For many, the hurdle isn't a lack of intent — it’s a lack of access.

In a recent paper published in the journal Science, titled “Strategies for achieving healthy, sustainable, and equitable dietary transitions,” Bellemare and an international team of experts outline why our current food system is failing both our bodies and the planet — and, more importantly, how we can fix the systems that dictate what ends up on our plates.

The triple challenge

The global food system currently faces a daunting triple challenge. First, billions of people lack access to healthy food, leading to both undernutrition and a rise in diet-related diseases like type 2 diabetes. Second, the way we produce food is a major driver of climate change and biodiversity loss. Finally, these issues aren't distributed equally; the most vulnerable populations often bear the heaviest burden.

“The industrialization of global food systems has led to dietary changes that have improved diets for billions of people, but which can also harm both health and the environment,” Bellemare says. “If we are going to meet the needs of a growing population while protecting the planet, we need a complete shift in how we think about the food on our plates."

Changing the food environment

One of the key takeaways from the research is that we cannot simply tell people to eat better. Similarly, providing people who already live in information-rich environments when it comes to food with more information is unlikely to help them make better dietary choices. Instead, we have to change the food environment — the physical and economic spaces where people buy and eat food. This means making healthy, sustainable options the easiest and most affordable choice, rather than the most difficult one.
 

Aligning incentives

A major hurdle, the researchers argue, is that the incentives for farmers, food companies, and consumers are often at odds. For example, it might be more profitable for a company to sell highly processed snacks than fresh produce.

“Understanding and aligning the motives and incentives of everyone in the food system, from the farmer in the field to the grocery store manager to the consumer, is essential,” explains Bellemare. “We have to make sure that doing the right thing for the planet and for public health is also the thing that makes economic sense.”

A path toward equity 

Crucially, the research emphasizes that these transitions must be equitable. A sustainable diet isn't truly sustainable if it is too expensive for half the population to afford. By focusing on food assistance programs and ensuring that new technologies are accessible to small-scale producers, the researchers argue we can create a system that works for everyone.

For the University of Minnesota and CFANS, this research serves as a call to action. It reminds us that the future of food isn't just about what we grow; it’s about how we design the systems that bring that food to the world.

As Bellemare puts it: “This isn't just an academic exercise. It’s a roadmap for how we can ensure that a healthy diet is a right, not a privilege, while ensuring the Earth remains a place where we can continue to grow that food. And it does so without lecturing people or making them feel bad about their food choices."