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Food and Health Fact #119
Fact #119: U.S. beef consumption compared to other countries
By Matthew Rees
Food and Health Fact #119: U.S. beef consumption compared to other countries
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U.S. per capita beef consumption in 2016 was nearly four times greater than the global average (see graphic below). Harvard Medical School points out that “an accumulated body of evidence shows a clear link between high intake of red and processed meats and a higher risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and premature death.” (Processed meat has been classified by the World Health Organization as a Group 1 human carcinogen, putting it in the same category as asbestos and tobacco.) While red meat is high in protein, iron, and zinc, Frank Hu of Harvard’s School of Public Health points out that, "You can get the same amounts — and in some cases even more — from poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts, and as well as by following a plant-based diet."
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