Contribution of meat-free days, meat-free meals, and portion sizes to UK meat consumption declines

Abstract

Abstract Background In the UK, reduced meat consumption is needed to protect planetary health and reduce noncommunicable disease. An analysis of the UK's National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) found from 2008-2019, daily meat consumption per capita decreased from 103.7g to 86.3g (∼1.7% per annum). This trend is not fast enough to meet reduction targets, such as the National Food Strategy's goal of a 30% reduction by 2030. Objectives This study aimed to examine behaviours driving the reduction in meat consumption. Specifically, we investigated two key strategies: reduced consumption frequency and smaller portion sizes. Design: Using NDNS rolling programme (2008/09-2018/19) data, we evaluated changes in: 1) the number of meat-eating days, 2) the number of meat-containing meal occasions, and 3) the portion size of meat per meat-containing meal occasion using Poisson and linear regression models. Meat consumption was based on disaggregated data from 4-day food diaries. Using decomposition analysis, we estimated the proportion of responsibility for each consumption behaviour relative to the overall decrease in consumption. Results The mean number of meat-eating days decreased from 3.3 to 3.0 days (P < 0.001), the mean number of daily meat-containing meal occasions decreased from 1.2 to 1.1 occasions (P = 0.01), and the mean portion size of meat decreased from 85.8g to 76.1g (P < 0.001). Portion size contributed most to the reductions in meat consumption (57%), followed by meat-eating days (37%), and meat-containing meal occasions (6%). Conclusions Our findings suggest the decrease in UK meat consumption can be largely attributed to smaller portion sizes of meat. Understanding the nuances of meat consumption behaviours (i.e., “meat-free days” vs. “meat-free meals” vs. “low-meat meals”) could help tailor behaviour change interventions by showing the need for a focus on promoting low-meat meals to accelerate reductions in meat consumption toward population and environmental health goals. Key messages • The decrease in UK meat consumption is largely being driven by reductions in portion size of meat at meal occasions. • Understanding nuances of meat consumption behaviours can help tailor behaviour change interventions by showing the need for a focus on promoting low-meat meals to accelerate reduced meat consumption.