Food Consumption Patterns

Seven Food Consumption Patterns

1. As populations rise, so does urbanisation and with it the demand for meat and animal protein. There is a strong correlation between increased incomes and a rise in the amount of animal protein consumed (1)
2. Per capita meat consumption increased from 23kg/capita/annum in 1961 to 43kg/capita/annum in 2014 – see figure 1 (2)
3. Meat consumption is highest in high-income countries, such as the USA and Australia where consumption is greater than 120kg/capita/year. Average European consumption is around 80kg/capita/year and around 60kg/capita/year in China. Meat consumption varies widely across Africa with higher-income countries consuming between 60-70 kgs per capita to as low as 10 kg per capita in others (2)
4. The growth in meat consumption is particularly evident in China, which has seen an approximate 15-fold increase per capita consumption since 1961. Other countries, Brazil for example have nearly quadrupled. India, where a lactovegetarian diet dominates, has remained at around 4kg of meat per person throughout this time frame. (2)
5. Global meat consumption ranges from 4 to >120g/capita/annum, or 11 to 328g/d and 77 to2,296g/week; dairy, egg and fish consumption are additive to this. Whilst there are a variety of global and national dietary guidelines, the main consensus is that for most countries people consume too much animal protein.
6. The Eat-Lancet planetary health diet (3) and the Livewell plate (4) are two examples where health and environmental sustainability have been combined to produce a planetary health diet. The allowance per day is given below and compared against a typical UK serving. Both diets recommend just 500 g of meat and fish combined per week or three average portions of meat or fish.
   A significant reduction is required if we are to address the climate, nature and health emergency we face today and align to the recommended diets.
7. Most adults in developed countries consume substantially more protein than they require and therefore a reduction in animal-based protein is realistic. (5) especially if combined with the consumption of a range of plant-based proteins.