We'll meat again

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Gob
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We'll meat again

Post by Gob »

Britons have cut their meat consumption by 17% over the past decade but will need to double these efforts if they are to meet targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production set out in the national food strategy earlier this year.

Meat production is a major contributor to global heating and land degradation, while eating lots of red and processed meat has been linked to a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

For these reasons, the government-commissioned national food strategy for England recently recommended that people try to cut their meat consumption by about 30% within the next decade.

To understand how much meat people in the UK are currently eating, Cristina Stewart, a health behaviours researcher at the University of Oxford, and colleagues turned to dietary data recorded in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This annual exercise involves asking a nationally representative sample of the population to keep a food diary for four consecutive days.

The analysis, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, found that between 2008-9 and 2018-19 participants’ average meat consumption decreased from about 103g per person a day to 86g, a reduction of about 17g or 17%. This is equivalent to eating roughly two and a half fewer pork sausages each week.

There was an absolute reduction of 13.7g of red meat and 7g processed meat, and a 3.2g increase in white meat consumption.

Stewart said: “I think the reductions that we’re seeing are positive, but we’re moving pretty slowly, and if we continue reducing our intake at the same rate, we’re not really going to be reaching these dietary targets.”

Although the environmental impact of white meat is lower than red meat’s, plant-based sources of protein have a lower impact still. “We’re hoping that this analysis, which helps us better understand meat consumption trends and patterns, could help to tailor public health policies and behavioural interventions to try and accelerate that reduction and meet those targets,” Stewart added.

Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “While it’s encouraging to see more people are starting to eat less red and processed meat, we know that some people are still eating more than the recommended maximum of 70g per day, putting them at greater risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.

“We need to look beyond meat to benefit from the full range of protein sources available to us. Including plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, or using these to bulk out meat dishes can be a healthy way to cut down on the amount of red and processed meat you are eating.”

The team also looked at differences in total meat consumption between different subgroups of the population, finding that this was higher among white participants compared with minority ethnic groups, regardless of household income.

“That was quite surprising because a lot of literature suggests that people from lower socioeconomic status groups consume more meat … and more red and processed meat,” said Stewart.

Another surprise was that people born in the 1980s and 1990s were the highest meat consumers, and those born after 1999 were the only subgroup to have increased their consumption over time.

Stewart said: “We’ve seen from various surveys that younger groups consider the environment and climate change to be more important, and they tend to be more interested in reducing meat consumption. People in that subgroup were 19 years and younger, so it could be that for the first few years of the survey, what they were eating was reflective of their household, rather than their preferences as individuals. Even so, it was a surprise.”
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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Long Run
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by Long Run »

Wonder how accurate self-surveys are. I'd be more inclined to trust them if the industry sales showed the same trend.

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BoSoxGal
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Re: We'll meat again

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Long Run wrote:
Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:28 pm
Wonder how accurate self-surveys are. I'd be more inclined to trust them if the industry sales showed the same trend.
This article shows a 1.8% decline in beef sales in the UK from ‘18-‘19. Obviously that doesn’t cover processed meats, but some indication that the surveys aren’t entirely accurate?

https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Artic ... ue-to-fall
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
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Sue U
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by Sue U »

Over the last three years my household has cut consumption of red meat by nearly 100%. Frankly, I don't miss it. Well, I miss lamb a bit, but not so much that I've felt compelled to buy any. There are plenty of recipes for poultry, fish and tofu to keep dinner interesting.
GAH!

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Joe Guy
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by Joe Guy »

The thread title reminds me of a song I haven't heard in a long long time....


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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by MajGenl.Meade »

Not to forget Veala Lynn
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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BoSoxGal
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by BoSoxGal »

I just need to find a good veggie substitute for chicken in butter chicken - any ideas?
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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Sue U
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by Sue U »

BoSoxGal wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 12:45 pm
I just need to find a good veggie substitute for chicken in butter chicken - any ideas?
I use extra-firm tofu in curry and stir-fry as a substitute for meat. I've been meaning to experiment with seitan, but I keep forgetting to buy it at the grocery store, and since we still eat animals other than mammals it hasn't been a pressing need. My guess is seitan would probably be a closer match to chicken than tofu.
GAH!

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Guinevere
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by Guinevere »

Do not forget the benefits of eating a protein based diet - which is more typically some kind of flesh as opposed to tofu (although I love and eat tofu and nuts and veggies). The real killer is sugar, and processed carbs.

I also don’t eat a lot of processed meats — only turkey or chicken sausage, and occasionally salami. Not a lunch meat person, and I cook whole unprocessed foods. I also don’t eat much dairy any more, either.

https://www.drperlmutter.com/ketosis-and-the-heart/

After a year of mostly eating keto (I took off this past summer, and the holiday season last year), I’m 60+ pounds down, feel great, and all my metabolic and lipid testing results are right on the money. Oh and my arthritic knee is sooooo much better.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké

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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: We'll meat again

Post by MajGenl.Meade »

MajGenl.Meade wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:00 am
Not to forget Veala Lynn
Maybe I should have put it "Puns"
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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