# How Much Meat Do We Eat? Consumption Statistics



## kds1980 (Dec 6, 2010)

http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/321/1/Meat-consumption-statistics.html

How much meat do we eat? Consumption statistics

As I was driving out in the country recently, I looked out over hills that were totally denuded of native vegetation - just pastures and paddocks, most of them growing fodder for livestock. 

To some it would have been an idyllic rural view and while it's far better than seeing factories for as far as the eye can see; it's a shame that a landscape that remained pretty much unchanged for thousands of years has fallen so quickly to cater to our desire for meat.

The usual disclaimer - I eat meat and even with recent reductions, I fully acknowledge it's still too much. Articles I write on the topic of meat are just another way for me to come to grips with the scale of the issue, to drive home the fact that it's something I and many others really do need to change if we can.

In my article on reducing meat consumption, I outline some of the environmental issues associated with meat eating - and they are quite shocking. Another item on the cruelty aspect of some factory farms challenges us to meet our meat.

A good way to get our heads around the issue is to compare what was then with what is now and gain an idea of exactly how much we're consuming. Here's some interesting statistics I dug up.

USA

In 1970 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:

Beef: ~ 80 pounds
Chicken: ~ 27 pounds
Pork: ~ 54 pounds
Turkey: ~ 7 pounds

A total of 168 pounds (around 76 kilograms) per year. 

In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in the USA:

Beef: ~ 63 pounds
Chicken: ~ 60 pounds
Pork: ~ 48 pounds
Turkey: ~ 14 pounds

A total of 185 pounds (around 84 kilograms) per year. 

Growth: 17 pounds

This information was sourced from the USDA. Going back further to the 1950's, meat consumption was under the 100 pound mark per capita. While 17 pounds more may not seem like a lot, multiply that by a population of 300 million.

Australia

In 1968/69 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:

Beef and Veal: 40 kilograms
Poultry: 8.3 kilograms
Pork: 6.7 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 36.4 kilograms

A total of 91.4 kilograms (around 200 pounds) per year. 

In 2005/06 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Australia:

Beef and Veal: 36.7 kilograms
Poultry: 38 kilograms
Pork: 22.2 kilograms
Lamb and Mutton: 13 kilograms

A total of 109.9 kilograms (around 242 pounds) per year. 

Growth: 18.5 kilograms.  

These statistics were sourced from the Victorian Department of Primary Industry. It seems like an incredible amount, but thinking back to my "meat and three meats" days; I'm sure I would have chomped my way through at least that much.

UK

I had some difficulty finding "apples to apples" (for want of a better term) statistics for the UK, but consumption of poultry meat appears to have doubled over the past 20 years, while red meat and pork consumption has remained static.  Britons' overall meat consumption is now 50 per cent higher than it was 40 years ago.

Canada

In 1969 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada

Red meat  (boneless weight) : 48.63 kilograms
Poultry  (boneless weight) : 13.70 kilograms

A total of 62.33 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year

In 2005 the averages for annual meat consumption per capita in Canada

Red meat  (boneless weight) : 39.34 kilograms
Poultry  (boneless weight) : 23.27 kilograms

A total of 62.61 kilograms (around 137 pounds) per year. 

These statistics were sourced from Statistics Canada

Take a bow Canada, but not too deep as as the global average in 2003 was 38 kg (around 84 pounds) per person according to the report "Global Production and Consumption of Animal Source Foods" from the United Nations.


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## kds1980 (Dec 6, 2010)

Many Ayurvedic doctors consider meat as poison and say that meat eating is the cause of many problems,but if we look an average consumption of meat by Australian 110 kg it is such a large quantity.even the most ravenous meat eaters oF India cannot match this amount ,yet australians are healthy and strong.So it looks to me Ayurvedic theories are quite a failure here


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## spnadmin (Dec 6, 2010)

Kanwardeep Singh ji

Good point. Let me add. Eskimos, tribal peoples who live in the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada, traditionally survived almost 100 percent on a diet of meat, meat fat, bone marrow. Whale, caribou, bear, and salmon. All very rich and fatty. And their cholesterol counts in general are normal.


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## kds1980 (Dec 7, 2010)

spnadmin said:


> Kanwardeep Singh ji
> 
> Good point. Let me add. Eskimos, tribal peoples who live in the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada, traditionally survived almost 100 percent on a diet of meat, meat fat, bone marrow. Whale, caribou, bear, and salmon. All very rich and fatty. And their cholesterol counts in general are normal.



Well one can say that eskimo's live in extremely cold environment so may be they are different,but Australia's environment is similar to India.


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## Randip Singh (Dec 7, 2010)

I think we in the West eat far too much meat and need a more balanced diet.

Saying that, your average Indian is quite weedy. I am convinced vegetarianism was an attempt by Brahmins to control the masses. I mean why have they banned eggs? They are not foetuses, just a waste product. In terms of Karma egg consumption makes no sense, but in terms of the bodily function (i.e. consumption of B12 and Iron), elements that make the body more active and less passive, it makes sense to make people not have as mich B12 in order to make them passive and control them. I strongly believe that Vegetarianism was/is a control mechanism of the masses and to keep the caste system well and truly alive.

What compounds this more is, The Brahmin bestowes the Kshatriya title on people like a knighthood and says, Ok if you defend us (the Brahins) then we will let you eat meat (because obviously they realise it makes them stronger and less easier to subdue). Amazing, we suckers still fall for this clap trap, and do not eat according to conscience rather than *Karmic blackmail*!


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## kds1980 (Dec 7, 2010)

Actually One cannot only blames brahmins as the most hardcore vegetarian Religion is jainism and to some extent Budhism also promote vegetarianism.


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## Randip Singh (Dec 7, 2010)

Kanwardeep Singh said:


> Actually One cannot only blames brahmins as the most hardcore vegetarian Religion is jainism and to some extent Budhism also promote vegetarianism.


 

Most Buddhist I know eat meat.

Jains are hardcore veggies. 

The term more acurate should be Vaishnavite Brahmins.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Jun 4, 2011)

has anyone heard of a jain Warrior...athlete..war plane pilot..army commander...commando.....????

Large Scale ONE SIDED stress on "vegetarainsim" to the extent of  denigrating and ridiculing the No hallal injunction in the SRM for the  past few decades has been a DERA ACTION..all a so called Sant baba,  mahapursh, *BH*aramGyani initiative..and we all know these  DERAWADEES are deeply rooted in Vaishvanite Brahminism/RSS etc...so that  direction actually is born in BENARES/HARDWAAR and NOT Amrtisar !!

GURBANI stresses BALANCED HEALTHY DIET...we have been led by the nose  towards the HOLY COW theory of Benares...even today there are some  "Sikhs"..clean shaven..smokers even...drinkers..etc etc..no knowledge of  any Gurbani or even names of Gurus..BUT will avoid the BEEF like it was  Plague causing..Na Na Na Beef aseen kivehn khaa sakdeh haan..Cow taan  sadee Maan hai..( ..BUT  surpriingly eating MUTTON its perfectly ok to  eat the MASSEE (goat) even though they drink her milk too !! but Not the  Gaoo Mata !! what indoctrination.. One came to me one day and wanted me  to perform a special ardass...He had inadvertantly been fed a tiny  piece of beef in a Fried Rice dish at a Govt Hopsital..and was seriously  afraid he would go to HELL when he died. Mein KUREHIT kar layee he  said...( I have committed a Kurehit..a sin..)..I told him..you dont keep  kesh, you dont know a word of gurmukhi..never did any paaths..you shave  daily..and you are a CHAIN SMOKER....where did you read that its a  KUREHIT to swallow a tiny bit of beef inadvertantly. OH my parents  always taught us..no beef..or we are NOT SIKHS !! His parents never  mentioned smoking becasue the daddy was also a chain smoker...


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## Randip Singh (Jun 6, 2011)

Breeb said:


> Tee hee heelol after all these years still flogging the same dead horse.



In other words you have no response therfore resort to sarcasm. 

Why don't you post with your actual name rather than hiding behind aliases?

Please explain to me how an unfertilised egg actually constitutes a life? 

How does an unfertilised egg = anything in terms of Karma?


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## spnadmin (Jun 6, 2011)

*Breeb ji

This would be the second thread where you have chosen to pursue issues from another Sikh forum here at SPN. A clear-cut case of trolling. Possible intent to start a flame war. You are warned. The next time you do this, on this thread or any other thread, you will be banned. Based on my assessment of your general Internet demeanor here and elsewhere, this will be your last and final warning. We have a really informative climate and will not benefit from your inputl spnadmin*


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