Abstract
Overwhelming evidence shows that overconsumption of meat is bad for human and environmental health and that moving towards a more plant-based diet is more sustainable. For instance, replacing beef with beans in the US could free up 42% of US cropland and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 334 mmt, accomplishing 75% of the 2020 carbon reduction target. We summarise the evidence on how overconsumption of meat affects social, environmental and economic sustainability. We summarise the social, environmental and economic effectiveness of a range of dietary interventions that have been tested to date. Because meat eating is embedded within complex cultural, economic, and political systems, dietary shifts to reduce overconsumption are unlikely to happen quickly and a suite of sustained, context-specific interventions is likely to work better than brief, one-dimensional approaches. We conclude with key actions needed by global leaders in politics, industry and the health sector that could help aide this dietary transformation to benefit people and the planet.
Generated Summary
This journal article explores the critical need to transition towards reduced-meat diets to benefit both people and the planet. It synthesizes existing evidence on the detrimental impacts of meat overconsumption on human health and environmental sustainability. The study adopts a multi-faceted approach, examining the social, environmental, and economic effects of various dietary interventions that have been tested to date. The research emphasizes the complexity of dietary shifts, which are embedded within cultural, economic, and political systems, and highlights the importance of sustained, context-specific interventions over brief, one-dimensional approaches. The article concludes by proposing key actions for leaders in politics, industry, and the health sector to facilitate this dietary transformation.
Key Findings & Statistics
- Replacing beef with beans in the US could free up 42% of US cropland.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 334 mmt, accomplishing 75% of the 2020 carbon reduction target.
- Our food system is a leading driver of biodiversity loss and contributes 19-29% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Globally, animal products provide only 18% of our calories but use 83% of our farmland and are responsible for 56% of GHG emissions from the food sector.
- Cattle farming is currently directly responsible for 71% of Latin American deforestation.
- Adoption of sustainable diets for countries that currently overconsume meat and under-consume plants will bring the food-related environmental footprints of each country below planetary boundaries.
- By 2020, overconsumption of red and processed meat will cost the global economy £219 billion in health-related costs, equivalent to 0.3% of the global GDP.
- If diets followed recommended dietary guidelines, we would produce US $234 billion per year in environmental benefits and save US $735 billion a year in reduced health-related costs.
- Wastage for meat and fish alone equated to £2.1 billion in food bought but not consumed (WRAP 2012).
Other Important Findings
- Overconsumption of meat is linked to increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and numerous cancers.
- Consumption of red and processed meat four or more times per week have a 20% increased risk of colorectal cancer.
- Unsustainable food production and consumption negatively affect human and environmental health.
- The most common cause of death globally is poor diet.
- The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) defines sustainable diets as “those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations.”
- The way in which animals are raised for human consumption can also affect our health.
- Eating more meat than needed can also be regarded as a waste of food.
- Meat production, broadly, uses ~22% of global freshwater, of which beef tends to have the largest footprint.
- If each country was to adopt a sustainable diet, this will reduce the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 30% and reduce the freshwater withdrawals, nitrogen and phosphorus application by 10-15%.
- Wastage of meat has economic consequences too.
- Leaders in nations where its citizens consume too much meat must begin to act on this issue to achieve planetary health.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The research acknowledges that dietary intervention effectiveness is highly context-specific, with barriers and enablers depending on local environments and socio-demographic variables.
- The study mentions that interventions should not further widen dietary inequalities, with many already struggling to access healthy food.
- The analysis recognizes the complexity of the food system and the challenges in changing consumer behavior, especially due to entrenched cultural, economic, and political factors.
- The article points out that there has been a paucity of research that has addressed all three pillars of dietary sustainability together (environmental, social, and economic)
Conclusion
The transformation towards reduced-meat diets is crucial for addressing the climate emergency and the increasing burden of malnutrition, according to the article. It underscores the complex interplay between meat consumption, human health, and environmental sustainability, emphasizing the need for interventions that span the entire supply chain. The research points out that sustainable changes require consumer behavior change and a multi-faceted approach that includes government, industry, and the health sector. The article underlines the need for interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration, and urgent action to create a healthy food system for both people and the planet. In addition, it highlights that overconsumption of meat must decline to meet Sustainable Development Goals and that government and food supply chain buy-in are needed to transition to more sustainable diets. The authors conclude that while the issues related to overconsumption of meat are complex, collaborative and urgent work is required to resolve the challenges.