The issue of food is gaining in relevance regarding the environmental impact due to the production, distribution and consumption of food. For this reason in 2010, the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition developed the model of the Double Pyramid of Food and Environment, a tool that links the nutritional aspect of food with its environmental impact.

The environmental pyramid was created by studying and measuring the impact on the environment of foods found in the food pyramid, and arranging them along an inverted pyramid, where the foods placed lower down (at the top of the triangle) have the least environmental impact. Combining the two pyramids results in the "Double Food-Environment Pyramid" where we see intuitively that the foods recommended for a major consumption, are generally also those that cause minor environmental impacts. Conversely, foods which are recommended for a smaller quantity of consumption are also the ones that have the greatest impact on the environment.
In practice, what emerges is the coincidence in a single dietary model of two different but equally important goals: the well-being of the individual and protection of the environment.