Category: Category 1

DFN was proud to attend this year’s General Practice Conference and Medical Exhibition (GPCME), South in Christchurch, NZ.

Five Engaging Workshops

Dr Luke Wilson and Dr Martyn Williamson delivered five well-attended workshops across the weekend, covering:

• The Benefits of Plant-Based Diets in Preventing Chronic Disease
• Lifestyle Medicine in Clinical Practice

The response was outstanding. Rooms were full, questions flowed, and participants eagerly discussed how lifestyle measures could transform the way we approach healthcare. In fact, one GP from Christchurch told us:
“This was the best presentation at the conference.”

Another highlight was meeting a long-time supporter of DFN who shared:
“DFN are great, they follow the evidence!”

Feedback like this confirms that our message is resonating and that more and more healthcare professionals are seeing plant-based nutrition as a vital component of modern medical care and lifestyle medicine as the future of patient treatment.

Building momentum with a Dine with a Doc

Following the conference, Doctors For Nutrition hosted a special Dine with a Doc evening in Wellington, which brought together local health professionals and community members for an inspiring night of evidence-based conversation and connection. Guests enjoyed a range of wholesome, flavourful dishes prepared by the talented chefs from the new Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) charity, whose creativity showed just how delicious plant-based eating can be. The food was warmly received, with many attendees remarking on how satisfying and vibrant the menu was. To complement the meal, Little City Kombucha generously sponsored the event, offering every guest the chance to sample their refreshing, handcrafted kombucha — a perfect pairing for the evening’s theme of health and vitality.

Looking ahead

Our success at GPCME South has energised us for the year ahead — and we’re already planning to bring the same passion and evidence-based education to GPCME Rotorua in 2026.

But we can’t do it without your support. Right now, every donation you make will be doubled through our matching donation campaign. Your contribution will help us continue to bring vital nutrition and lifestyle education to healthcare professionals who are ready to make a change for their patients.

Together, we can reshape the future of healthcare, one conversation at a time.

DONATE TODAY

Inspiring future doctors with Lifestyle Medicine

Empowering students: The six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine

DFN took their impact a step further by hosting an interactive workshop, focusing on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine:

• Whole food plant-based nutrition
• Physical activity
• Stress management
• Sleep
• Social connection
• Avoidance of risky substances

The workshop emphasised how nutrition is the common thread that weaves these pillars together, serving as the foundation for optimal health. Students learned practical strategies for motivating patients to embrace lifestyle changes, with DFN guiding them through a mock patient consultation. This hands-on experience gave students valuable skills in communication and patient empowerment—skills that are often overlooked in traditional medical training.

Culinary Medicine in action: The Buddha Bowl Challenge

The excitement didn’t stop there! DFN brought the concept of “culinary medicine” to life with a live cooking demonstration. Delegates gathered around as DFN demonstrated just how quick and easy it is to prepare a delicious, nutrient-packed Buddha bowl. The DFN team highlighted the various ingredients and their impact on our health.

Five lucky students were invited up to the stage to build their own bowls, choosing from a rainbow of fresh, whole food ingredients. The demonstration was more than just a cooking lesson—it was a powerful reminder that healthy eating can be simple, affordable, and enjoyable. The students left not only with full stomachs but also with the confidence to share these practical skills with their future patients.

The future of healthcare: Powered by Lifestyle Medicine

The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed that the workshop and cooking demonstration were among the most memorable and valuable experiences of the convention. It was clear that the principles of lifestyle medicine resonated deeply, with students convinced that this approach is the future of healthcare.

As the AMSA National Convention SYD25 drew to a close, the message was clear: the next generation of doctors is ready to lead the charge in preventive, patient-centred care. Thanks to organisations like Doctors For Nutrition, these future doctors are equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to transform lives—one plant-powered meal at a time.

What we eat plays a critical role in shaping our planet’s future, and certain dietary choices leave a much larger carbon footprint than others. By choosing more sustainable plant-based foods we can significantly lower our footprint and contribute to the fight against climate change.

Climate change is accelerating, driving extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and food insecurity. According to the World Meteorological Organization, every key climate indicator reached record levels in 2024. It was the warmest year in the 175-year observational record, with global temperatures climbing to 1.55°C (margin of uncertainty ± 0.13 °C) above pre-industrial levels, making it likely the first year on record, where temperatures exceeded the 1.5°C long-term global temperature goal set by Paris Agreement on climate change. Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations hit record highs in 2023, with real-time data confirming that emissions continued to rise in 2024.

The global food system is a key contributor to global GHG emissions and climate change. While different foods contribute to climate change at varying levels, our food choices are key in shaping our carbon and environmental footprint. This article examines the link between diet and climate change, highlighting why adopting a whole food plant-based diet is a powerful solution for reducing our environmental impact and supporting a healthier planet.

The link between diet and climate change

Food systems and GHG emissions

Studies[1,2] indicate that the global food system is responsible for approximately one-quarter to one-third of human-induced GHG emissions. Emissions come from multiple sources, such as land use (including deforestation), agricultural production, processing, transportation, packaging, post-retail cooking, and food waste.

Industrial animal agriculture is one of the most significant contributors, as it requires vast amounts of land (~45-50% of our planet is agricultural land and ~80% of that is used for livestock), water, and feed while producing significant methane emissions (a GHG with a warming potential 28-36 times that of CO₂) from enteric fermentation in ruminant animals. The widely cited estimate of 14.5% of livestock’s contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). However, this figure is from data that is nearly 17 years old and has been contested, with more recent estimates ranging from 12% to 20% of global emissions. Furthermore, a recent report suggests that animal agriculture is the single largest driver of climate change, surpassing all other human activities. Another report supports these findings, calling for increased transparency in GHG accounting conventions to reflect the true impact of animal agriculture on the climate.

Closer to home, New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment reports that almost 50% of New Zealand’s GHG emissions come from agriculture – 75% of which comes from methane emissions from livestock. The next largest source is nitrous oxide from nitrogen added to soils and from manure management. According to the Climate Council, in Australia agriculture accounts for approximately 18% of GHG emissions (higher than the global average of 11.7%) with their emissions dominated by energy production at ~55% and transport at ~21%. In 2022-23, agriculture was responsible for over half of the country’s methane emissions – with 65% of these emissions coming from cattle.

A study of New Zealand’s food system, showing no notable deviation from global trends, showed that not only were whole plant foods substantially less climate polluting than animal-based foods but that adopting plant-focused dietary patterns would also confer large health gains and cost savings for the healthcare system.

These and other studies have consistently shown that diets rich in animal products, particularly meat, are associated with significantly higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to plant-based diets. A recent UK analysis showed that vegan diets generate 75% less GHG emissions, use 75% less land, require 54% less water, and have a 65% lower impact on environmental biodiversity than meat-heavy diets.

Agricultural production may be the single largest contributor to GHG emissions, however land use changes, such as deforestation often driven by the expansion of farmland for livestock and feed crops, result in the loss of critical carbon sinks. Forests and wetlands naturally sequester carbon, helping to mitigate climate change, whereas deforestation and clearing results in ever larger amounts of carbon dioxide (and methane) being released into the atmosphere both from the process itself and from the decline in carbon storage.

Water and land use

Global scarcity of water and land, driven by human activity, results in a lack of availability of these natural resources relative to human demand – especially with an ever-increasing population.

Globally, over 70% of fresh water and, as mentioned, almost half of the world’s habitable land are used for agriculture. Livestock occupy nearly 80% of this land yet produce only 17% of the world’s calories and 38% of its protein, making it a highly inefficient food source. In contrast, crops grown directly for human consumption supply the majority of global calories and protein (83% and 62%, respectively), using just the remaining ~20% of available agricultural land.

The following charts[1] demonstrate that land and fresh water requirements for producing various protein sources differ significantly, reflecting the impact of animal-based versus plant-based foods.

The chart below[1] shows direct impact comparisons between dairy milk and other plant-based milk. Dairy milk has significantly higher impacts than the plant-based alternatives across all metrics. Aside from using ten times as much land, and 22 times as much freshwater per litre of milk, it also causes around three times as many greenhouse gas emissions and creates much higher levels of ecosystem pollution

Impact on rivers, lakes and oceans

In addition to the extensive withdrawal of freshwater from rivers, lakes, and other sources, the global food system is a major contributor to ecosystem pollution, contaminating freshwater bodies and oceans.

Our food system relies heavily on synthetic fertilisers to grow sufficient food crops for human consumption and livestock feed. According to the FAO, global fertiliser consumption increased from around 30 million tonnes in the 1960s to close to 200 million tonnes in 2019. Large-scale industrial farming often relies on monocultures—growing the same crop repeatedly on the same land—which depletes soil nutrients, reduces biodiversity, and makes crops more vulnerable to pests and diseases. This leads to more reliance on synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides, which can degrade soil health, contaminate water sources, and disrupt ecosystems. Livestock feed crop production is a significant driver of monoculture farming.

In a process known as eutrophication, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus from excessive fertiliser use, and excess nutrients from animal waste in intensive animal agriculture settings, run off farmland into groundwater and rivers. This nutrient pollution from agricultural sources is estimated to account for around 78% of global eutrophication[1]- impacting drinking water quality, degrading habitats, disrupting breeding grounds for various species, and producing algal blooms that are incredibly harmful to freshwater and marine ecosystems. This overgrowth from specific algae species produces toxins that can harm marine mammals, birds and humans. The algae blooms also clog fish gills and cause hypoxic (low-oxygen) waters in ocean environments (known as dead zones).

While industrial plant-based agriculture can still contribute to water pollution and eutrophication (primarily through monocultures and pesticide use), sustainable plant-based farming methods, such as organic and regenerative agriculture, use fewer synthetic inputs and produce far less concentrated waste, reducing nutrient pollution.

The world’s oceans significantly mitigate global warming by absorbing 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions and capturing 90% of the excess heat from these emissions. Feeding our burgeoning global population and the resultant increase in greenhouse gases means that oceans are increasingly absorbing more CO₂ from the atmosphere. This causes ocean acidification, which reduces the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon. And as the absorption of excess heat continues, ocean temperature and sea-level rise cause a significant impact on marine biodiversity, weather patterns and marine ecosystems. The threat to human life, livelihoods and displacement is all too real, with sea-level rise doubling during the last three decades.

Shifting to a predominantly plant-based diet could significantly reduce oceanic dead zones—helping to restore marine ecosystems and mitigate climate change. This is not just an environmental necessity but a crucial step in building a food system that can sustainably nourish future generations while protecting our oceans.

Biodiversity loss

Since the beginning of the first agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago, demand for land has seen the demise of one-third of the world’s forests, many wetlands and other wildlife habitats, causing wildlife populations to decline significantly. Although agriculture supports crops grown for human consumption, intensive animal agriculture is a key driver of this biodiversity loss; with nearly 80% of the world’s agricultural land used to raise livestock for meat and dairy, an estimated 36% of global cropland produces feed for these animals. It is alarming to know that, excluding humans, 94% of the worldwide mammal biomass is livestock (equaling 15 livestock for each wild mammal), and 71% of bird biomass is poultry livestock[1].

To grow the crops needed to sustain such massive numbers of livestock (estimated globally to be 31 billion land animals at any one time), farmers typically elect to use monoculture methods, as mentioned earlier, to gain maximum yield. Growing one crop species over a large land area diminishes plant diversity, affecting food sources and habitats for many animals, including pollinators, which has a knock-on effect on the entire ecosystem. A loss of natural habitats and the use of pesticides has also contributed to a global trend of insect population decline. With one-third of global food crop production relying on pollinators to some extent, food security is of major concern.

Nowhere in the world is biodiversity loss felt more keenly than in Australia, where large-scale deforestation (an area equivalent to the MCG is destroyed every 86 seconds) is pushing some Australian animals to the brink of extinction. According to the Wilderness Society, Australia now holds the number one ranking for mammal extinctions worldwide and is second only to Indonesia for biodiversity loss – 67 wildlife species and 37 plant species have gone extinct. One of the main reasons that hundreds of thousands of hectares of Australia’s forests and bushland are destroyed every year is for agricultural expansion (to create pasture to raise cattle for beef) – with land clearing in Queensland leading the bill.

Human activity is also causing biodiversity loss in our oceans, resulting in significant declines in marine species due to overfishing, habitat degradation and destruction, pollution, and climate change.

Energy efficiency

Animal agriculture is an inefficient way to convert plant-based resources into edible human food. It requires vast amounts of crops to be grown specifically for animal feed, diverting resources that could be used to nourish human populations directly. As we have mentioned, around 36% of global crop calories are used to feed livestock, yet animals only convert a fraction of these calories into edible meat products. If these crops were grown directly for human consumption, far fewer resources would be needed to feed the same number of people.

The following graph[3] shows the energy (in)efficiency of meat and dairy production :

Animal agriculture also highly depends on fossil fuels, from feed crop cultivation and livestock management to processing and transportation. Removing livestock from the equation significantly reduces fossil fuel consumption, making plant-based agriculture a far more energy-efficient alternative. Transitioning to a plant-based food system could drastically lower resource demands, leading to a more sustainable and resilient food supply.

The importance of shifting dietary patterns

The global food system is at a crossroads, with industrial animal agriculture putting immense strain on the planet’s resources. Producing meat, dairy, and eggs requires vast amounts of land, water, and fossil fuels while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture also drives deforestation, soil degradation, and water pollution, with vast areas of land cleared to grow feed crops instead of directly nourishing people. Shifting toward a predominantly plant-based food system could free up vast areas of global farmland, allowing for ecosystem restoration, reforestation, and carbon sequestration—key actions in the fight against climate change.

With the global population predicted to rise to 10 billion by 2050, maintaining our current food system will only exacerbate resource scarcity and environmental destruction. A transition to plant-based diets would improve food security and reduce the public health risks associated with industrial livestock farming, including antibiotic resistance and zoonotic disease outbreaks. By prioritising plant-based agriculture, we can create a more sustainable, ethical food system that nourishes future generations without depleting the planet.

Practical tips for reducing diet-related emissions

Now that you understand the impact of our food choices on the climate, you’ll see how shifting to a more plant-forward diet can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Here are some practical tips to help you make that positive change:

• Incorporate more plant-based meals – start small by incorporating just one plant-based meal per week. Need ideas? Explore our recipe collection for inspiration.
• Choose plant-based proteins – swap meat and dairy for nutritious alternatives like lentils, beans, chickpeas and tofu. Download our simple swaps guide for some great plant-based substitutes.
• Reduce or eliminate dairy – opt for plant-based milk, yoghurt and cheese to drastically cut land and water use while eliminating methane emissions.
• Be mindful of processed foods – many processed foods require more energy to produce and may contain hidden animal products like milk powder. Cooking from scratch helps reduce reliance on these products while supporting a healthier diet.
• Grow your own food (if possible) – grow fruits and vegetables to develop a deeper appreciation of food sources and sustainability. Choosing produce that doesn’t rely on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides benefits your health and the planet.
• Minimise food waste – plan meals and store food properly to reduce waste. Less waste means fewer resources are used in food production, and fewer methane emissions are produced by landfill decomposition.
• Download our Going Plant Based or Eat Your Way to Better Health guides for expert tips and practical advice.
• Take our FREE interactive online dietary assessment – the 4Leaf Survey to estimate the percentage of your calories coming from whole plant sources and obtain your diet ‘climate score’.
• Sign up for one of our online courses:
  – Jump right in with the DFN Health Challenge or
  – Take it step by step and Make the Switch to whole food plant-based eating.

Like all energy systems, food production requires inputs and generates outputs that impact the environment. We can work towards a more sustainable future by rethinking our food choices—one meal at a time.

Shaping the Future of Health

1. Strengthening bonds between international Lifestyle Medicine leaders
2. Fostering collaboration and exchange of best practices
3. Sharing knowledge and building resources to support organisational momentum

The LMGA creates a substantial, global network of international Lifestyle Medicine societies that represents a convergence of healthcare professionals who connect and inspire one another. By providing connection, collaboration, tools, and best practice frameworks, LMGA plays a key role in assisting countries to develop vibrant, sustainable Lifestyle Medicine organisations. These groups then advance the evidence-based practice of Lifestyle Medicine to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease internationally.

Results of the first LMGA meeting

At the first gathering of world leaders in Lifestyle Medicine in 2024 the Doha Declaration was developed. This document was designed to assist healthcare professionals in effectively articulating our shared global consensus on the importance and benefits of Lifestyle Medicine in creating more sustainable and equitable healthcare systems. World leaders pledged to work together tirelessly to achieve health and well-being for everyone.

Our collective voice

As members of the Lifestyle Medicine Global Alliance, Doctors For Nutrition understands the potential of partnering with various sectors to revolutionise healthcare and combat the non-communicable disease epidemic. United by our shared mission of turning the tide on the unsustainable trajectory of noncommunicable chronic disease, Lifestyle Medicine can identify and eradicate the root causes.

Why Lifestyle Medicine?

The rise in chronic disease in many parts of the world and related healthcare costs is unsustainable. Type 2 diabetes alone is a looming global pandemic with incalculable consequences. Much of the healthcare cost in Australia and New Zealand are tied to the treatment of conditions rooted in poor lifestyle choices, with similar statistics in many countries around the world. Chronic diseases—also known as non-communicable diseases—are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health conditions.

In partnership with the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM), Doctors For Nutrition offers the Lifestyle Medicine Certification Program in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. This internationally recognised certification equips physicians and healthcare professionals with the tools to prevent, manage, and even reverse chronic diseases by addressing their underlying causes. With over 8,000 certified diplomates from 92 countries, the IBLM has established itself as a global leader in Lifestyle Medicine.

Join the movement

Learn more about the Lifestyle Medicine Certification pathway and register to sit the exam this year!

Dr. Heleen Haitjema, co-founder and board director of DFN, joined a debate on the new Sky News ‘The Jury’ program, and provided her expert opinion on the pressing need to decrease red meat consumption to counteract the damaging environmental and climate consequences of meat production.

The debate with Senator Susan McDonald, a former butcher and farmer, was sparked by the federal government’s decision to integrate food sustainability recommendations into its dietary guidelines. The farming industry has criticised this shift, labelling it as an ‘ideological agenda’ targeting red meat.

While the program framed the debate as “Should we ban meat to save the planet?” Dr. Haitjema’s argument centered on the necessity of decreasing red meat consumption rather than advocating for an outright ban, which is in line with the UN Food and Agriculture stance on sustainable diets. In the short segment Dr Haitjema outlined not only the climate impact of excessive red meat consumption but also the detrimental impact that its production has on land and water use, its overall inefficiency, and its inherent polluting nature.

Watch the recording here

We also welcome you to read our article ‘From guidelines to greener plates: Australia’s necessary dietary shift’ where we explore how plant forward diets align with the principles of what constitutes sustainable diets as described by the FAO. That is ‘diets with minimal environmental impact, ensuring food and nutrition security for both current and future generations. These diets prioritise biodiversity and ecosystems, respect cultural diversity, and are accessible and affordable to all’.