A group of British MPs have become one of the most high-profile groups to call for the public to reduce the amount of meat they eat. As part of a report called Global Food Security - published in advance of a major international food security summit in London - the group of politicians have urged the British public to cut down: even if it’s just going a day or two a week without a meat meal.
The report is focused on trying to ease the demand on food processors globally. Developing countries particularly are being forced to try and meet the ever-escalating Western demand for both animal products & agricultural ones. Animal products particularly put land under extreme pressure due to the demand for feed and space, leading to other issues such as mass deforestation and decreased quality of land.
The transport-dependent supply chain also leads to increased greenhouse emissions. Some researchers have estimated that if the resources for meat farming were instead put towards plant crops, we could double the world’s food supply, leading to more balanced global food distribution model.
It goes without saying that there are also significant animal rights concerns associated with the mass market demand for affordable meat products. The horse meat controversy and various Chinese food scandals illustrate the lows some producers will stoop to to take advantage of the market situation.
As a result of the various issues related to food security, the price of food has also increased significantly over the last decade. Much of the food is potentially of low quality or heavily processed, with many in both developed and developing economies struggling to afford even basic supplies. Chair of the committee Sir Michael Bruce emphasises “there is no room for complacency about food security over the coming decades if UK consumers are to enjoy stable supplies and reasonable food prices.”
Health concerns
While the latest report on the issue has partially focused on the socio-economic impacts of food demand on a global scale, the group have also proposed focusing on the health impacts of excess consumption to stress the need for decreased meat eating to the public.
Dr Jane Wilde of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland has written that “the 20th century change from largely plant-based diets to energy-dense diets high in fat and animal foods has played a key role in the upsurge of diet-related preventable health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and obesity.”
Red meat particularly has often been the subject of research related to the health effects of a meat-heavy diet. In April of this year a study suggested that red meat may contain significant amounts of chemicals such as TMAO that could have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, alongside their cholesterol and fat content. Excess protein consumption has also been linked to conditions such as kidney stones.
Dr Wilde argues “no food policy will deliver what is needed in the 21st century unless it reshapes food systems in line with sustainable development...We need a coherent, cross-border approach which enables and encourages people to eat a healthy and sustainable diet; ensures a resilient and competitive food system; and increases food sustainability. A sustainable food system that supports the wellbeing and health of people is worth working for.”
