Journal Article

Meat consumption, health, and the environment

Pierrehumbert, Ray T., Hall, Jim W., Godfray, H. Charles J., Jebb, Susan A., Scarborough, Peter, Lorimer, Jamie, Garnett, Tara, Springmann, Marco, Key, Timothy J., Aveyard, Paul

2018

Overview

Meat consumption is rising annually as human populations grow and affluence increases. Godfray et al. review this trend, which has major negative consequences for land and water use and environmental change. Although meat is a concentrated source of nutrients for low-income families, it also enhances the risks of chronic ill health, such as from colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease. Changing meat consumption habits is a challenge that requires identifying the complex social factors associated with meat eating and developing policies for effective interventions. Science , this issue p. eaam5324 Both the global average per capita consumption of meat and the total amount of meat consumed are rising, driven by increasing average individual incomes and by population growth. The consumption of different types of meat and meat products has substantial effects on people’s health, and livestock production can have major negative effects on the environment. Here, we explore the evidence base for these assertions and the options policy-makers have should they wish to intervene to affect population meat consumption. We highlight where more research is required and the great importance of integrating insights from the natural and social sciences.

• Publisher: The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Agricultural economics / Agricultural management / Animal husbandry / Animal welfare / Animals / Arable land / Biodiversity / Cancer / Carbon dioxide / Carbon sequestration / Cardiovascular diseases / Colorectal cancer / Colorectal carcinoma / Consciousness / Consumption / Decision making / Diet / Economic conditions / Emissions / Energy / Environment / Environmental changes / Environmental effects / Environmental objective / Environmental Standards / Essential nutrients / Evidence / Food / Food availability / Food consumption / Food contamination / Food contamination & poisoning / Food plants / Food selection / Food Supply - economics / Forage crops / Grasslands / Health / Human influences / Human populations / Humans / Income / Intakes / Livestock / Livestock production / Low income areas / Low income groups / Mammals / Meat / Meat - adverse effects / Meat - economics / Meat production / Meat products / Meta Analysis / Micronutrients / Norms / Nutrients / Pasture / Phosphorus / Plant-based foods / Pollutants / Population Growth / Pork / Poultry production / Proteins / Social factors / Social sciences / Trophic levels / Vitamin B12 / Water / Water use