Published 25/08/2011

A report by the British Heart Foundation says 45,000 lives could be saved if people in Britain eat less meat.

The British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group (BHF HPRG) modelled the health impacts of the different diets described in Compassion in World Farming's report Eating the Planet which was produced in partnership with Friends of the Earth.

Our report

Eating the Planet concluded that, to ensure we still have sufficient amounts of food for the growing population by 2050, those in developed countries should reduce their consumption of animal products.

• Read the press briefing ( 1237.23KB)
• Read the full report ( 2198.79KB)

The British Heart Foundation findings

According to the British Heart Foundation's research group, if people in the UK ate 58% less meat and dairy produce than we do at present:

• A total of 32,000 deaths would be averted or delayed each year
• 26,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) would be averted or delayed
• 6,000 deaths from cancer could be averted or delayed
• Costs to the NHS would be reduced by £0.85bn.

Reducing meat even further, by 83% would mean even more promising results:

• 45,000 deaths would be averted or delayed each year
• 36,000 from CVD
• 9,000 from cancer
• £1.2bn in NHS costs.

The full report by BHF can be read here.

Eating less meat is better for the planet, for our health and for animals.

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