Today, we know that individual climate action can yield great benefits for human health, and in discussions about lifestyle, healthcare professionals have the opportunity to highlight benefits of a plant-forward diet and physical activity for both individual patient outcomes as well as planetary health. But how are such messages received by patients?
A new study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, shows that patients prefer advice on lifestyle motivated solely by health reasons over advice that also emphasizes climate benefits or climate risks.
The study involved over 1,490 participants from five German federal states. Participants read three different versions of advice related to either diet or physical activity. One version focused solely on health benefits, the second combined health and climate benefits, and the third additionally included climate risks. Participants then rated how acceptable they found the advice.
The health-only advice received the highest rating (average score of 4.09 out of 5), followed by health + climate benefits (3.67), and health + climate benefits + climate risks (3.55). The differences were particularly pronounced among individuals who were skeptical about climate change or had a right-leaning political orientation. Among participants already concerned about the climate, the format mattered less.
The results suggest that while there are strong reasons to integrate climate messaging in healthcare, communication should be tailored to the recipient's values and attitudes. Starting with what matters most to the individual-often their own health-may be a more effective path to lifestyle change. The study also highlights the importance of training in communication strategies for healthcare professionals who aim to promote both individual and planetary health.
"By framing clinical advice in terms of both personal and planetary health, health professionals may not only improve patient understanding but also help shift attitudes and norms toward more healthy and sustainable behaviors, which in turn alleviate health risks of climate change", says Nikolaus Mezger , research assistant at the Institute of Environmental Medicine.
"Future research should evaluate on how effective such framings can translate into broader societal support - an area where health professionals could become powerful advocates for plant-forward diets and physical activity."
Publication
Herrmann A, Krippl N, Fischer H, Nieder J, Griesel S, Bärnighausen T, Schildmann J, Mikolajczyk R, Danquah I, Mezger NCS, Kantelhardt EJ
Lancet Planet Health 2025 Jun;9(6):e456-e466
