As a student at this University, you know a vegan. Perhaps your veggie friend is the quiet type whose sole concern is moral and ethical responsibility; perhaps they are the more bombastic, loquacious bore who regales reems of argument and counterargument at the mere sight of culinary flesh. Perhaps it’s you. In any case, what difference are these dietary choices making?
A new analysis of data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2008 and 2019 – which showed a steep decline in red and processed meat consumption coupled with a moderate increase in white meat consumption – indicates that ethically-driven consumers may be having less of an effect than their more pragmatic counterparts. The team from the University of Edinburgh’s Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems found the majority of the 1.7% annual decrease in overall meat consumption observed in the study period was accounted for by… smaller portions (52%). Men, presumably concerned about legitimate risks to cardiovascular health, and people of lower socio-economic status, presumably concerned about their wallets, were the most likely groups to decrease portion sizes. Fewer meat-eating days (think: Meat Free Mondays) accounted for 24% of the decline, followed by fewer meat consumers (17%).
Undoubtedly, reducing meat consumption has a net-positive effect on climate and environmental policy, and public health. The researchers emphasise that “understanding meat consumption behaviour patterns is key for more effective policies” and hope that their research will enable policymakers to develop more effective strategies to drive down meat consumption.
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