Nordic diets are unsustainable at present and their impact on the climate is substantial. The high impact especially stems from the significant intake of animal-based products (Blomhoff et al 2023; Klimarådet 2021; Wood et al. 2019). Denmark's food consumption leads to some of the highest climate impacts globally, with CO2 emissions 45 percent above the global average. This is primarily due to the country's significantly high consumption of animal-based foods (Klimarådet 2021:12). Likewise in Finland, the intake of dairy and meat are responsible for 65 percent of the climate impact from Finnish diets (Matschoss 2022) and in Norway, dairy and meat account for approximately 80 percent of carbon emissions from food (van Ort & Holmelin 2019).
From a health perspective, the Nordic countries have witnessed an increase in obesity over the last decades (Jørgensen et al. 2010). Today, 51 percent of people in Sweden and 52 percent of Danes are considered overweight, while 25 percent of the Icelandic population is classified as obese (Röös et al. 2021; Jensen et al 2022; Ministry of Health 2019). In Norway, some studies show that only 23 percent of men and 42 percent of women have BMI lower or within the normal range (Folkehelserapporten 2023). In Finland, among young adults under 30, more than 35 percent of women and nearly 50 percent of men are overweight. Among adults over 30, it is 63 percent of women and 72 percent of men that are considered overweight, with 28 percent of women and 26 percent of men being obese (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare 2024).
In addition, non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer have also increased for decades (Jørgensen et al. 2010; De Schutter et al. 2020). The increase of these types of diseases is linked to a high intake of salt, sugar, and saturated fat and a low intake of fruit and vegetables (Reisch et al. 2017). As such, unhealthy food consumption patterns contribute to significant problems for public health. Few Nordic citizens meet the recommended intake levels of fruits and vegetables, and many consume insufficient amounts of whole-grain cereals (Harwatt et al. 2022; Lemming and Pitsi 2022).
A healthier diet not only benefits individual health but also aligns with more climate and environmentally sustainable practices (Norwegian National Nutrition Council 2017; Willett et al. 2019). According to an analysis by the Danish Council on Climate Change, the average Dane aged 6-64 years could reduce their climate impact from food consumption by 31-45 percent by following national dietary guidelines, simultaneously benefiting their health (Klimarådet 2021). For the health of the Nordic population and the well-being of the planet, the need to shift towards more sustainable and healthier diets is undeniable.
Despite these challenges, which are well-researched in the Nordic countries, consumers largely ignore advice on how to mitigate this burden. The latest report on food consumption in Norway shows a concerning trend away from the current Norwegian dietary recommendations and The Norwegian National Action Plan for a Healthier Diet (2017-2023) (Helsedirektoratet 2023; Regjeringen 2017). For instance, there is lower consumption of fruits and vegetables than recommended, and higher consumption of salt, saturated fats, and red meat.