Table 1.

Summary of characteristics of studies on sustainable diet in Iran (1990–2021).

First author (year)	Aim	Food item(s)/diet	Sustainable diet dimension(s) measured	Suggested change(s) in diet	Finding(s)
Rahmani et al. (13)	To determine the impacts of dietary changes on the Iranian economy and on the environmental load.	Total diet, based on food balance sheet	• Carbon FP • Cost • Nutritional value	– Decreasing rice, vegetables, fruit, bread and pasta – Increasing livestock and other animal products	• A shift from the current diet to alternative diets increases both the economic output and the environmental pressure. • Compared to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, shifting Iranian dietary patterns toward WHO and WCRF has a greater positive effect on economic output, but a more negative impact on the environment.
Eini-Zinab and Sobhani (14)	To compare the sustainability of traditional and local foods in Iran with Western Foods	Three traditional Iranian cusines (Ashe Reshteh, Mirza- Ghassemi and Tbrizi Koofteh) and three western foods (Pizza, Beef-estroganove and Pasta)	• Carbon FP • Water FP	Increase consumption of traditional and local Iranian foods/cuisines	• Food with high contribution of animal products had the highest carbon footprint. • Traditional and local Iranian foods seem to be more sustainable with low environmental effects compared to the selected western foods. • Traditional food patterns could be promoted through food and nutrition policy to achieve sustainable food and nutrition systems.
Sobhani et. al. (15)	To assess the compliance of the Iran's National Nutrition and Food Security Policy (INNFSP) with the components of the sustainable diets framework	National policy	–		• The compliance of the INNFSP with the components of a sustainable diet, without weighting importance and adequacy, was about 60.32%. The score was 60.69% when importance was weighted. • The percentage of compliance with the components of a sustainable diet was 41.79% when both importance and adequacy weighted. • In order to achieve a sustainable diet; which in addition to providing nutritional needs, has environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability; national food and nutrition policies needs to consider dimensions other than nutrition and health, as well.
Kalvani et. al. (16)	To evaluate and analyze water footprint of 14 important crops in Tehran province and to assess their water savings and losses in 2008–2014.	Apple, barley, bean, grapes, maize, onions, oranges, potatoes, rice, tomato, wheat, cherry, pear, peach	Water FP	Decrease wheat/wheat products	• Wheat and rice had the largest per capita water footprint • The consumption of wheat in Iran is high (2 times larger than global average). • It is recommended to reduce the consumption of wheat in Tehran or replace it with other crops.
Soltani et. al. (17)	To investigate the role of current diets and types of modified diets on the need for environmental resources such as water, land, and inputs, including nutrients, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions.	Total diet	• Water FP • Carbon FP • Fertilizers use • Cost • Energy • Nutritional recommendation	Decrease rice (67%), potato (54%), oil (30%), sugar (53%), red meat (50%), chicken (55%), egg (48%), fruit (6%), and Increase wheat flour (43%), legumes (78%), and vegetables (32%)	• Plant-based diet can reduce the need for blue water resources by 30%, fertilizer by 8–12%, energy by 15%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 10-14%. The cost of these diets are also 20–24% less; • Implementing and adopting sustainable plant-based diets requires cultural and educational efforts.
Sobhani et. al. (18)	To assess different scenarios to reduce water use by following healthy diet recommendations/ to suggest a healthy diet with low water FP for the Urmia population.	Total diet in Urmia based on a FFQ	• Water FP • Nutritional value • Cultural acceptance	Decrease “bread, cereal, rice, and pasta” (14%) and meats (3%) Increase dairy (14%) and fruits (6%)	A healthy diet with greater proportion of energy from fruits, and lower ratio from “bread, cereal, rice, and pasta”, and substitution of meats with beans can supply all recommended dietary allowances while reducing water use by 49%.
Mirzaie-Nodoushan et. al. (19)	To investigate the effects of diet change on reducing water consumption in Iran, while meeting its nutrition requirements.	Iranian food basket	• Water FP • Nutritional recommendations • Cultural acceptance	Decreases red meat (47%), fruits (35–44%), poultry (9–42%), vegetable oil (13–25%), sugar (26–30%), and rice (17–40%). Increase vegetables (80%), milk (78–80%), pulses (51–75%), fish (29–80%), eggs (37–79%), and wheat (15–21%)	These changes resulted in 7.9%-16.7% decrease in water footprint.
Eini-Zinab et. al. (20)	To develope a healthy, low-cost and environmental-friendly food basket for Iran, based on current consumption	Total diet	• Water FP • Carbon FP • Cost • Nutritional recommendation • Cultural acceptance	Decrease the “bread, cereal, rice, and pasta” (34%), “meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, and nuts” (11%) and “fats, oils, sugars, and sweets” (24%) Increase dairy (34%), fruits (26%) and vegetable (8%) groups and cereals (38%), poultry (45%) and vegetable oil (30%) subgroups	In the sustainable diet model extracted, there was a 14% reduction in total water footprint, a 14% decrease in total carbon footprint, and a 23% decrease in the cost, as well as 7% increase in NRF of diet compared with the usual consumption.
Edalati et. al. (21)	To analyze a canteen menu of the School of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology sustainability and to develop a sustainable lunch menu	A campus lunch menu	• Water FP • Carbon FP • Land FP • Cost • Nutritional recommendation • Cultural acceptance	Decrease red meat Increase chicken or fish and vegetables	Replacing the sustainable food menu designed for Menu 1(rice-based) could decrease carbon, total water and land footprints and costs by 10, 13, 22 and 6%, respectively, and increased the NRF profile by 8%. Replacing the sustainable menu designed for Menu 2 (vegetable or meat-based, no rice but with wheat bread) could result in 25, 23, 27 and 28% decreases in carbon, total water and land footprints and costs, respectively, and increased the NRF profile by 23%.
Noormohammadi et.al. (22)	To suggest dietary scenarios for decreasing GHG emissions	Total diet	• Carbon FP • Nutrition recommendation • Cultural acceptance	Decrease red and white meats, eggs, grains, fats and oils, and sweets Increase vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and dairy.	• A healthy diet with a higher proportion of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and dairy, and a lower share of red and white meats, eggs, grains, fats and oils, and sweets can reduce carbon FP by %50.
Sobhani et. al. (23)	To evaluate the sustainability of Iranian FBDG in comparison with the usual diet and with the selected food pyramids.	Total diet	• Water FP • Carbon FP • Land FP • Cost • Nutritional recommendation • Cultural acceptance	Increase legumes and nuts	• Replacing the usual dietary intake of the Iranians with an optimal diet based on the 2016 Iranian FBDG was associated with reductions equal to 20.9 % for water footprint, 22.48 % for carbon footprint, 20.39 % for land footprint, 31.83 % for cost, as well as 7.64 % increase in NRF index.

FP, footprint.