Macdiarmid Jennie I, Douglas Flora, Campbell Jonina
Public Health Nutrition Research Group, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
Public Health Nutrition Research Group, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
Appetite. 2016 Jan 1;96:487-493. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.10.011. Epub 2015 Oct 23.
Reducing meat consumption is central to many of the scientific debates on healthy, sustainable diets because of the high environmental impact of meat production. Missing from these debates are the public perspectives about eating less meat and consideration of cultural and social values associated with meat. The aim of this study was to explore public awareness of the environmental impact of food and their willingness to reduce meat consumption. Twelve focus groups and four individual interviews were conducted with adults from a range of socio-economic groups living in both rural and urban settings in Scotland. Public understanding of the link between food, environment and climate change was explored, with a focus on meat and attitudes towards reducing meat consumption. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically. Three dominant themes emerged: a lack of awareness of the association between meat consumption and climate change, perceptions of personal meat consumption playing a minimal role in the global context of climate change, and resistance to the idea of reducing personal meat consumption. People associated eating meat with pleasure, and described social, personal and cultural values around eating meat. Some people felt they did not need to eat less meat because they had already reduced their consumption or that they only ate small quantities. Scepticism of scientific evidence linking meat and climate change was common. Changing non-food related behaviours was viewed as more acceptable and a greater priority for climate change mitigation. The study highlights the role meat plays in the diet for many people, beyond nutritional needs. If healthy, sustainable dietary habits are to be achieved, cultural, social and personal values around eating meat must be integrated into the development of future dietary recommendations.
由于肉类生产对环境影响巨大，减少肉类消费是许多关于健康、可持续饮食的科学辩论的核心。这些辩论中缺少公众对少吃肉的看法以及对与肉类相关的文化和社会价值观的考量。本研究的目的是探讨公众对食物环境影响的认知以及他们减少肉类消费的意愿。对来自苏格兰农村和城市不同社会经济群体的成年人进行了12个焦点小组讨论和4次个人访谈。探讨了公众对食物、环境和气候变化之间联系的理解，重点是肉类以及对减少肉类消费的态度。对数据进行了转录和主题分析。出现了三个主要主题：缺乏对肉类消费与气候变化之间关联的认识、认为个人肉类消费在全球气候变化背景下作用极小，以及抵制减少个人肉类消费的想法。人们将吃肉与愉悦联系在一起，并描述了围绕吃肉的社会、个人和文化价值观。一些人觉得他们不需要少吃肉，因为他们已经减少了消费，或者他们只吃少量肉。对将肉类与气候变化联系起来的科学证据持怀疑态度很常见。改变与食物无关的行为被认为更容易接受，也是缓解气候变化的更优先事项。该研究强调了肉类在许多人饮食中的作用，超出了营养需求。如果要实现健康、可持续的饮食习惯，围绕吃肉的文化、社会和个人价值观必须纳入未来饮食建议的制定中。
