Too much grain, fats and sugar produced for everyone to have a healthy diet.OTTAWA—There aren't sufficient fruits and vegetables grown around the world for everyone on the planet to have a healthy diet, says a study from the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph.The study by a team of researchers found a drastic mismatch between global agricultural production and what people are consuming according to Harvard University's Healthy Eating Plate guide. It says the human diet should be half fruits and vegetables, 25 per cent whole grains and 25 per cent protein, fat and dairy. Prof. Evan Fraser, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and director of the Arrell Institute, said, “The global food system currently overproduces grains, fats and sugars, while production of fruits and vegetables and, to a smaller degree, protein is not sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of the current population.” While it hasn't examined the study, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE, the Canadian Horticulture Council said, “A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of good health and an important line of defence against chronic disease and excess weight.”Spokesman David Folkerson said previous studies have shown that “more than 80 per cent of Canadians do not consume the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day. The economic burden attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake in Canada today is $4.4 billion in direct and indirect costs.” Canada is the only G7 country without some form of national fruit and vegetable health nutrition policy, he said. The National Food Policy under discussion by Agriculture and Health Canada “is intended to provide a framework for integrating increased fruit and vegetable consumption into existing health promotion initiatives and other government priorities.” The Arrell study looked at much land is currently used for farming globally and how much would be needed if everyone followed the Harvard nutritional recommendations. It projected those numbers forward to 2050, when the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion compared to the current 7.5 billion. What it found was the world currently produces 12 servings of grains per person instead of the recommended eight, five servings of fruits and vegetables instead of 15, three servings of oil and fat instead of one, three servings of protein instead of five and four servings of sugar instead of what should be none. “What we are producing at a global level is not what we should be producing according to nutritionists,” Fraser said. “Without any change, feeding 9.8 billion people will require 12 million more hectares of arable land and at least one billion more hectares of pasture land.”The way to feed the growing population properly, save land and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is “to consume and produce more fruits and vegetables as well as transition to diets higher in plant-based protein,” he said. Krishna KC, a research scientist in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Guelph, said countries focus on grain production because the crops are relatively easy to produce and can feed many.“Developed countries have subsidized grain and corn production for decades in order to become self-sufficient and to establish global leadership in their production,” he said. “These countries have also spent far more money on research and innovation for these crops than for fruits and vegetables.”The human craving for fat, sugar and salt has resulted in overproduction of those products, KC said. “If we do switch to nutritious diets, we would see a drop in the amount of land required to feed our growing population.” The study said if the agrifood system aimed to match its production with nutritional guidelines, the global population could be fed with 50 million fewer hectares of arable land because fruits and vegetables take less land to grow than grain, sugar and fat.To achieve this decrease, consumers would need to eat less meat and the agrifood sector would have to produce more plant proteins, the study said.Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.