title: Red and processed meat consumption and purchasing behaviours and attitudes: impacts for human health, animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Higher intakes of red and processed meat are associated with poorer health outcomes and negative environmental impacts. Drawing upon a population survey the present paper investigates meat consumption behaviours, exploring perceived impacts for human health, animal welfare and the environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured self-completion postal survey relating to red and processed meat, capturing data on attitudes, sustainable meat purchasing behaviour, red and processed meat intake, plus sociodemographic characteristics of respondents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban and rural districts of Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, UK, drawn from the electoral register.
  
  
  METHODS
  UK adults (n 842) aged 18-91 years, 497 females and 345 males, representing a 35·6 % response rate from 2500 randomly selected residents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women were significantly more likely (P60 years) were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards animal welfare (P<0·01). Less than a fifth (18·4 %) of the sample agreed that the impact of climate change could be reduced by consuming less meat, dairy products and eggs. Positive attitudes towards animal welfare were associated with consuming less meat and a greater frequency of 'higher welfare' meat purchases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human health and animal welfare are more common motivations to avoid red and processed meat than environmental sustainability. Policy makers, nutritionists and health professionals need to increase the public's awareness of the environmental impact of eating red and processed meat. A first step could be to ensure that dietary guidelines integrate the nutritional, animal welfare and environmental components of sustainable diets.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Health and Related Research,University of Sheffield,Sheffield,UK.
authors.forename: Angie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clonan
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,School of Biosciences,University of Nottingham,Loughborough LE12 5RD,UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: 3Division of Nutritional Sciences,School of Biosciences,University of Nottingham,Loughborough,UK.
authors.forename: Judy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: 4Centre for Geospatial Science,University of Nottingham,Nottingham,UK.
authors.forename: Didier G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Leibovici
authors.affiliation: 1School of Health and Related Research,University of Sheffield,Sheffield,UK.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holdsworth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000827:Animal Welfare / Q000592:standards*; D057231:Climate Change; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D004739:England; D058735:Environmental Policy; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D008461:Meat Products / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Animal welfare; Environment; Health; Meat