Situations matter for meat consumption
- 06.01.2025
- English Articles
- Patricia Wowra
- Tina Joanes
- Sonja Geiger
- Wencke Gwozdz
Peer reviewed / Manuscript (original) submitted: 8 May 2024; revision accepted: 18 July 2024
A diary study of the within- and between-person associations
Introduction
Meat consumption has been identified as a high-impact behavior detrimental to planetary and human health [1, 2]. The production of meat is a key driver behind the transgression of several planetary boundaries, including climate change, biochemical flows (nitrogen and phosphorous cycles), and the alteration of biosphere integrity [3, 4]. Meat consumption also has implications for human health, as its overconsumption is associated with an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases. In particular, excessive consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with health risks such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and an increased risk of mortality [5, 6].
This is especially relevant for high-income countries, where meat consumption per capita exceeds the recommendations made by national or international dietary guidelines [7]. For instance, in 2022, the average weekly meat consumption per capita in Germany was 1,000 g [8, 9]. In contrast, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends an intake of no more than 300 g of meat per week, while the EAT-Lancet Commission proposed in their Planetary Health Diet an intake of no more than 200g of meat per week [3, 10]. Hence, reducing meat consumption in high-income countries is pivotal for transitioning towards a healthier and more sustainable food system. Achieving this requires an understanding of factors that influence meat consumption. ...
Abstract
While previous research on understanding meat consumption has predominantly focused on personal factors, such as attitudes or sociodemographic characteristics, less attention has been given to the role of situational factors such as location and social setting. This study aimed to investigate such situational factors associated with meat consumption and whether they relate to meat consumption due to within-person associations (such as eating a meal with others or alone) or between-person associations (such as some individuals typically eat meals with others while other individuals typically eat alone). Finally, the role of sociodemographic characteristics for meat consumption was explored. A five-day diary study was conducted in which 230 participants recorded 2,461 meals and the corresponding situations. The results of multilevel logistic regressions indicate that meat consumption was more likely to occur when meals were eaten hungrily, together with others, and at noon or in the evening. The association of hunger and time with meat consumption was due to within-person associations, while the association of social setting with meat consumption was due to both within-person and between-person associations. No sociodemographic characteristics were associated with meat consumption. These findings have important implications for understanding meat consumption and designing effective interventions tailored to either persons or situations.
