Do Protein Choices Belong in GP Consultations?

NutritionFor Physicians
Written By PAN International

Why doctors should discuss plant-forward nutrition in routine care

This English blog post is adapted from “Bespreek plantaardige voeding in de spreekkamer”, an original article first published in Huisarts en Wetenschap (H&W) by Dr Marieke Kerstens, Marieke van de Put & Anna Kretova (PAN Netherlands)

International guidelines recommend eating less red and processed meat and more legumes, nuts, and other plant protein sources. This shift, often described as the protein transition, presents an important opportunity to improve public health and reduce environmental impact.

Yet general practice is still not making full use of nutrition as a tool for prevention and care. In this article, we explore why GPs are well placed to support both patient health and planetary health.

Poor diet is a major risk factor for ill health and premature death. It leads to more deaths than alcohol, drugs, and smoking combined.¹ In many countries, chronic disease is rising and affecting people earlier in life, reinforcing the need to make nutrition a more routine part of prevention and care.

Climate change is also increasingly affecting health, with heatwaves, air and water pollution, allergies, and infectious diseases becoming more common.⁴ ⁵ Shifting from animal to plant protein sources can support both climate goals and better health, while helping to prevent chronic disease.⁶ ⁷ GPs can play an important role by making nutrition part of routine conversations in practice.

Role of the GP

Most people see their GP as a trusted source of nutrition information.⁸ In one study, 78% of patients reported changing their eating habits after discussing diet with their GP or another doctor.⁹ As more patients raise questions about nutrition, health, and climate, it is time for plant-forward nutrition to have a clearer place in the consultation room.

The Impact on Health

There is growing evidence that dietary patterns centred on plant protein sources are associated with a lower risk of premature death, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.⁷ Current guidance increasingly recommends reducing red and processed meat intake and choosing plant alternatives such as legumes more often.¹³ ¹⁶ ¹⁷

Recent studies strengthen this picture. Higher animal protein intake has been associated with increased mortality risk and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while processed and red meat are linked to greater risk of type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.¹⁸–²²

Higher plant protein intake in midlife has also been associated with a greater likelihood of healthy ageing, including disease-free functioning without cognitive or physical limitations.²³

There is also growing evidence that vegetarian and plant-based dietary patterns can reduce disease burden and, in some cases, support remission across a range of conditions, including overweight and obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and prostate cancer.²⁴–³²

Impact on the Climate

Food production is responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions, and animal protein sources generally have a greater impact on emissions, land use, and water use than plant protein sources.³³ ³⁴ The recent EAT-Lancet report concludes that current dietary patterns are a major driver of exceeding 5 of the 9 planetary boundaries.⁷ A shift towards more plant-forward dietary patterns is therefore important not only for health, but also for sustainability.⁷

Guidelines

Across countries, dietary guidance is increasingly recognising the value of shifting towards more plant-based protein sources for both health and sustainability. In the Netherlands, for example, the Health Council has recommended moving towards a more plant-forward protein balance and limiting red and processed meat.¹⁷ ³⁶

While clinical guidelines increasingly acknowledge the importance of healthy nutrition, sustainability is still often underemphasised in routine care.³⁷–³⁹

Start the conversation

A lower intake of animal protein will not be appropriate for every patient, for example those who are underweight or at high risk of malnutrition. But for many patients in general practice, eating more whole plant foods and less red and processed meat is both meaningful and feasible. When nutrition is treated as a core part of care, even small, practical steps can help patients improve their health and quality of life while contributing to the wider protein transition.

Tip 1 graphic showing practical plant-forward food swaps for patients, including legumes, plant-based alternatives, smaller meat portions, and nuts instead of processed snacks.

The protein transition is not an end in itself, nor is it solely the responsibility of the GP. It is one route towards better health and a more liveable planet. GPs are uniquely placed to connect individual health with planetary health. This does not mean providing detailed nutrition counselling or expecting every patient to adopt a fully plant-based diet. It does mean being able to highlight the health benefits of eating more minimally processed plant foods and supporting patients to take realistic first steps. By normalising these conversations during consultations, GPs can strengthen awareness, support self-management, and encourage behaviour change.

Tip 2 graphic encouraging referral to a specialised dietitian to support safe, practical, and nutritionally adequate plant-based dietary changes.

General practitioners have enormous reach. Even in one country, thousands of GPs may each see well over a thousand patients a year. That creates a powerful opportunity to influence everyday food choices, not only for individual patients, but often for households too. It is an opportunity worth using for the health of people and the planet. 

Tip 3 graphic highlighting PANCO as PAN’s global community platform for nutrition resources, peer connection, and shared learning.

Clinicians do not need to do this work alone. Professional networks, dietitians, evidence-based tools, and practical patient resources can all help make nutrition conversations more feasible in routine care. Sign up for PANCO here.

References & Further Reading

The sources below include the references cited in the original article, along with additional background reading relevant to this adapted version.

PAN International https://pan-int.org
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UK Nutrient Profiling Model update: PAN’s Perspective on What it Means for Public Health and Healthcare Settings