Scientists are working together to understand how climate change, food systems, and our diets all connect to our health. The ADVANTAGE Project brings together experts to study how changing weather patterns affect the food we grow, what we choose to eat, and how healthy we stay. By looking at all these connections together instead of separately, researchers hope to create better advice and policies to help people eat well even as our environment changes. This big-picture approach recognizes that our nutrition depends on many factors working together—from our genes to where we live to how food is produced.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How climate change and environmental shifts affect what people eat, how food is grown, and whether people stay healthy
  • Who participated: This is a planning document for a large research project involving multiple expert groups, not a study with human participants
  • Key finding: The researchers propose that understanding nutrition requires looking at everything together—climate, farming, food choices, and health—rather than studying each piece separately
  • What it means for you: This project may eventually lead to better dietary guidelines and food policies that account for climate change, but results are still being developed. It’s too early to change your eating habits based on this work alone

The Research Details

The ADVANTAGE Project is a comprehensive research framework rather than a traditional study. Instead of testing one specific idea with participants, it brings together five different expert groups to examine different aspects of how climate change affects food and nutrition. Each group focuses on a different piece of the puzzle: how climate change impacts health outcomes related to diet, how it changes what people choose to eat, how it affects farming and food production, what tools scientists need to measure these connections, and how to turn research findings into practical advice people can actually use. This approach is like assembling a team of specialists to understand a complex problem from every angle rather than looking at just one part.

Most nutrition research has looked at individual factors in isolation—either studying diet alone, or farming alone, or climate alone. But in real life, all these things interact with each other. By studying them together, researchers can develop more realistic and effective solutions. This matters because climate change is already happening, and we need to understand how it will affect our food supply and health so we can prepare and adapt.

This is a conceptual framework and planning document, not a research study with data. Its value lies in organizing existing knowledge and identifying gaps that future research should fill. The strength of this approach is that it involves multiple expert perspectives, which helps ensure nothing important is overlooked. However, readers should understand this is a roadmap for future work, not a report of completed research with definitive answers.

What the Results Show

The ADVANTAGE Project identifies that nutrition is not just about individual food choices—it’s a complex system involving many connected factors. These factors include personal characteristics like genetics and age, external conditions like where you live and your economic situation, food production systems, and the changing climate. The project recognizes that climate and environmental change is already affecting what food is available, how it’s grown, and what people can afford to eat. By studying all these connections together, researchers can better understand why people make certain food choices and how those choices affect health. The project also highlights that solutions need to be tailored to specific communities and situations rather than using one-size-fits-all approaches.

The research framework emphasizes that we need better tools and methods to measure how all these factors work together. It also stresses the importance of translating scientific findings into practical guidance that policymakers, farmers, and communities can actually use. The project recognizes that sustainable food systems must also be nutritionally sustainable—meaning they need to provide healthy food, not just food that’s environmentally friendly.

Previous research has often focused on sustainable farming or nutrition separately. This project builds on that work by connecting these areas and adding climate change as a central concern. It represents a shift toward more holistic thinking about food and health, recognizing that you can’t solve nutrition problems without considering agriculture, economics, and environmental factors.

This is a planning document, not a completed study, so it doesn’t present new research data. It identifies what needs to be studied rather than providing answers. The actual findings will come from the five working groups as they complete their analyses. Additionally, the project’s success will depend on how well different experts can work together across different fields and how well research findings can be translated into real-world action.

The Bottom Line

This project is still in its early stages, so specific recommendations for individuals aren’t yet available. However, it suggests that future dietary guidance will likely need to account for climate change and local food availability. For now, following current nutrition guidelines while being mindful of sustainable food choices remains sound advice. Confidence level: This is a framework for future research, not a completed study, so recommendations should be considered preliminary.

Policymakers, agricultural experts, nutritionists, public health officials, and anyone interested in how climate change affects food and health should pay attention to this project. It’s particularly relevant for people in regions already experiencing food insecurity or climate impacts. General consumers should be aware that nutrition advice may evolve as this research progresses.

This is a multi-year research project. Specific findings and recommendations will emerge over time as the five working groups complete their analyses. Don’t expect immediate changes to dietary guidelines, but expect gradual updates over the next several years as evidence accumulates.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your food choices weekly and note which foods are locally available in your area and season. This creates a baseline for understanding how your diet connects to local food systems and could help you adapt as food availability changes.
  • Use the app to explore seasonal and locally-grown food options in your region. As this research develops, the app could help you understand how your food choices connect to climate impacts and guide you toward more sustainable options that also support good nutrition.
  • Monitor changes in food availability and prices in your area over months and seasons. As climate impacts increase, tracking these patterns will help you and your community adapt your eating habits. The app could send alerts about seasonal foods and help you plan meals around what’s currently available and affordable.

This article describes a research framework and planning document, not a completed study with definitive findings. The ADVANTAGE Project is still in development, and specific recommendations for individuals are not yet available. Current dietary guidelines from established health organizations remain the best evidence-based guidance for nutrition. If you have concerns about how climate change might affect your food access or nutrition, consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical or nutritional advice.