Caitlyn Stulpin , 2025-05-02 18:10:00
Key takeaways:
- Research shows climate change is contributing to heat-related illnesses and vector-borne diseases.
- Plant-based diets could lessen the environmental burden from the demand of meat and livestock industries.
As research suggests climate change could contribute to rising rates of infectious diseases, some researchers say plant-based diets could help lessen the environmental burden of the meat industry and improve overall health outcomes.
In a recent paper, Melissa Whitman, DO, and colleagues explained that climate change has had direct consequences on health, including heat-related illnesses and increased rates of vector-borne diseases, noting that approximately 60% of “known infectious diseases were at some time aggravated by climatic hazards.”
They wrote that plant-based diets could generate a more positive environmental impact — as they create less demand for the meat and livestock industries that contribute heavily to methane emissions and deforestation — and are often associated with health benefits, such as reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
“Transitioning to plant-based diets is a sustainable choice that contributes less to climate change while offering significant health benefits compared to diets high in animal-based food products,” the authors wrote. “Considering the benefits for both environmental sustainability and human health, health care providers should incorporate dietary counseling focused on a more plant-based diet into their practice.”
We spoke with Whitman, an infectious diseases fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University, about the impact climate change has had on infectious diseases and how plant-based diets could help combat climate change and improve health outcomes.
Healio: What prompted this paper?
Whitman: Like many in the medical community, I am increasingly concerned by the growing impact of climate change on human health. As awareness and literature on this topic continues to expand, I began to think about actionable steps that could be taken on an individual level.
Although I’ve followed a vegetarian diet for many years, I recognize that a fully plant-based approach may not be practical or necessary for everyone. However, the health benefits are well-documented, and I believe that widespread reduction in animal product consumption could make a meaningful impact on climate change.
This paper came about to explore how infectious disease providers can help mitigate the impact of climate change in clinical practice, while also potentially improving our patient’s overall health.
Healio: How can plant-based diets improve health outcomes in the context of infectious diseases?
Whitman: Plant-based diets are supported by multiple medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
This is particularly relevant to the field of infectious diseases — especially in the context of HIV care, as people living with HIV have two times higher risk for cardiovascular disease than those without HIV. In addition to lipid-lowering medications, dietary patterns can play an important role in cardiovascular disease prevention. Plant-based foods are also rich in dietary fiber and other nutrients that serve a role as antioxidants. Given the link between HIV infection and chronic immune activation, antioxidants from plant-based foods may help modulate these heightened immune responses.
Healio: Are there any data showing this impact? If so, what do the data show?
Whitman: There are already significant data to support the impact of plant-based diets on health. In fact, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that diets excluding animal-products can be nutritionally adequate and can offer long-term health benefits. Importantly, negative health impacts such as colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease have been established with high consumption of animal products, with the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluding that people who eat meat should decrease consumption of red or processed meat to lower the risk for colorectal cancer. Retrospective studies suggested plant-based diets lowered the risk for severe disease with respiratory infections such as COVID-19. Future prospective research would be helpful to further understand any protective effects plant-based diets may have on other infectious diseases.
Healio: How often are ID doctors interacting with patients to help shape their diets? Do you think they are well versed enough in nutrition to provide this sort of dietary counselling?
Whitman: Many physicians recognize that our training in diet and nutrition is insufficient, given that this topic is not well addressed in medical school or early career training. However, dietary counseling and nutrition are an important topic and would be well within our scope.
One area where dietary counseling would be of particular benefit is HIV care. Given the elevated risk for cardiovascular disease in individuals living with HIV, physicians should include dietary guidance in conversations about lipid management and cardiovascular risk reduction. Ryan White [HIV/AIDS Program] support and clinic dieticians can play an important role in counseling if that resource is available.
Healio: Overall, how would you say climate change has impacted the infectious disease field?
Whitman: Climate change has a strong impact on the field of infectious disease. For example, warmer temperatures and increased humidity can expand mosquito habitats and extend their breeding season, which means rates of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and Dengue are expected to significantly rise and expand areas in geographic areas of vulnerability.
Climate change also impacts bird migration patterns and wild bird distribution, which was likely a contributary factor to recent outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cows and poultry.
Environmental issues linked to meat and dairy production can also influence the spread of infectious diseases. Land exploitation and deforestation driven by animal agriculture can increase the risk for zoonotic disease outbreaks, including the emergence of new diseases.
Current agricultural practices, including confinement and genetic homogenization, promote rapid disease transmission amongst poultry and livestock. Large scale decreases in the demand of animal-based products are essential to combatting these harmful practices.
Healio: What is the overall takeaway from this paper?
Whitman: While our paper does not necessarily advocate for a fully plant-based diet, even small shifts in plant-based food consumption can offer health benefits and reduce environmental impacts.
As physicians, we get little training and may not feel as though we have the resources to provide dietary counseling. However, given the impact that ID physicians have on our patients and on our communities, this paper recommends considering integrating dietary counseling into our practice when feasible.
Reference:
For more information
Melissa Whitman, DO, can be reached at melissannew93@gmail.com.
