Consumers cite health concerns, cost as reasons they eat less meat

Two out of every three participants in a U.S. consumer survey report that they are eating less of at least one type of meat, according to a study published in Public Health Nutrition.

To better understand consumer attitudes and behaviors related to reducing meat consumption, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, collected survey responses from a nationally representative sample of 1,112 U.S. adults aged 18 and older.

For purposes of the survey, which was conducted in 2015, the researchers defined meat reduction as eating less red meat, processed meat, poultry, or seafood over the past three years. They found that participants aged 45–59 were twice as likely to reduce consumption of one or more types of meat as those aged 18–29, followed by those aged 60 and over. Women were more likely than men to report reducing meat consumption.

Household income was also associated with reduced meat consumption: the lower the income level, the greater the likelihood of reporting reduced meat consumption. Respondents with incomes lower than $25,000 were more likely to report cutting their overall meat consumption than those with household incomes greater than $75,000. Researchers also observed that the parents of children aged 18 and younger were less likely to reduce their overall meat consumption than non-parents.

The most commonly reported reasons participants gave for cutting meat consumption were cost and health concerns. Few respondents—12% each—said they had reduced their meat consumption out of concern for animal welfare or the environment. Key reasons survey participants cited for not reducing meat consumption included the perception that meat is necessary for a healthy diet and that meals are incomplete or boring without meat. Researchers said these findings reveal opportunities for educating consumers about appealing and nutritious plant-based meals and raising awareness of the environmental impacts of meat production.

The researchers noted that the responses offer useful insights into which meat products consumers say they are cutting back on. Fifty-five percent of respondents reported reducing their consumption of processed meat, and 41% reported reducing the amount of red meat in their diets. Of those who reported reducing red and processed meat, 37% said they had increased their poultry or seafood consumption. The most commonly reported approach to reducing meat consumption was buying less meat (64%), followed by smaller portion sizes (56%), meatless meals (42%), meatless days (32%), and avoiding meat altogether (9%).

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