The 20th century saw a particularly pronounced increase in meat consumption, thanks to economic growth, developments in meat production technology, and intensified urbanization. A meat-based diet became the symbol of wealth, and meat consumption was regarded to be the best way to satisfy one’s nutritional needs. On a global scale, the fast and constant growth of the human population results in the need to increase food production. However, the intensive mass-scale animal-based production is linked to numerous strains on the environment. Intensive meat production also requires new areas and resources (e.g., huge amounts of water, electricity, fuels of transport, etc.). To reduce the demand for additional land for agriculture, production technologies used nowadays involve genetic modifications and the use of chemical substances (e.g., pesticides, antibiotics, hormones). In 2013, FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization) reported that livestock farming accounted for 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
In light of these issues, it seems necessary to decrease meat consumption and promote a massive change of eating habits in favor of a sustainable diet. It must be borne in mind, however, that a meat-based diet not only influences the health and nutritional level of individuals, but may also shape the communities’ psycho-social profiles [a]. A deficiency in ingredients found in meat-based products may also affect the individual’s psychological state and behaviour . On the other hand, consuming too much processed meat may have a negative impact on the development and functioning of the human body [c]. For example, the most recent study shows that consumption of nitrated dry cured meat was associated with current mood disorders (i.e., mania), and that feeding rats with meat containing added nitrate resulted in hyperactivity reminiscent of human mania, and alterations in brain pathways that have been involved in human bipolar disorder [d].
In individuals that like to eat meat, the reconciliation of the morally dubious aspects with their own hedonistic needs results in defence mechanisms and in rationalizing their own behaviour. Rationalization allows them to maintain their own image of a decent and moral person. Studies have identified three main justifications that meat eaters use; they believe that eating meat is natural, normal and necessary (Three Ns of Justification). It is natural, as eating meat is a consequence of human evolution, and the human body is adapted to meat consumption. It is normal, as meat is a type of food commonly consumed in developed societies. It is necessary, as meat contains the necessary nutrients, and its consumption is indispensable for ensuring health and good physical state. These convictions are acquired in the process of socialization by means of different social media: family, religion, mass media, etc.
a- Modlinska K., Pisula W. Exploratory analysis of the links among food consumption profiles, prenatal androgens, and selected measures of quality of life. Front. Public Health. 2016;4:240. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00240. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
b- Rintamäki R., Partonen T. Dietary Amino Acids and Mood. In: Worobey J., Tepper B.J., Kanarek R., editors. Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition. Springer; New York, NY, USA: 2011. pp. 565–576. [Google Scholar]
c - Bouvard V., Loomis D., Guyton K.Z., Grosse Y., El Ghissassi F., Benbrahim-Tallaa L., Straif K. Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16:1599–1600. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00444-1. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
d- Khambadkone S.G., Cordner Z.A., Dickerson F., Severance E.G., Prandovszky E., Pletnikov M., Yolken R.H. Nitrated meat products are associated with mania in humans and altered behavior and brain gene expression in rats. [(accessed on 20 July 2018)];Mol. Psychiatr. 2018 1 doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0105-6. Available online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41...83.1356982819.1533859200-205996752.1533859200. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
In light of these issues, it seems necessary to decrease meat consumption and promote a massive change of eating habits in favor of a sustainable diet. It must be borne in mind, however, that a meat-based diet not only influences the health and nutritional level of individuals, but may also shape the communities’ psycho-social profiles [a]. A deficiency in ingredients found in meat-based products may also affect the individual’s psychological state and behaviour . On the other hand, consuming too much processed meat may have a negative impact on the development and functioning of the human body [c]. For example, the most recent study shows that consumption of nitrated dry cured meat was associated with current mood disorders (i.e., mania), and that feeding rats with meat containing added nitrate resulted in hyperactivity reminiscent of human mania, and alterations in brain pathways that have been involved in human bipolar disorder [d].
In individuals that like to eat meat, the reconciliation of the morally dubious aspects with their own hedonistic needs results in defence mechanisms and in rationalizing their own behaviour. Rationalization allows them to maintain their own image of a decent and moral person. Studies have identified three main justifications that meat eaters use; they believe that eating meat is natural, normal and necessary (Three Ns of Justification). It is natural, as eating meat is a consequence of human evolution, and the human body is adapted to meat consumption. It is normal, as meat is a type of food commonly consumed in developed societies. It is necessary, as meat contains the necessary nutrients, and its consumption is indispensable for ensuring health and good physical state. These convictions are acquired in the process of socialization by means of different social media: family, religion, mass media, etc.
a- Modlinska K., Pisula W. Exploratory analysis of the links among food consumption profiles, prenatal androgens, and selected measures of quality of life. Front. Public Health. 2016;4:240. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00240. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
b- Rintamäki R., Partonen T. Dietary Amino Acids and Mood. In: Worobey J., Tepper B.J., Kanarek R., editors. Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition. Springer; New York, NY, USA: 2011. pp. 565–576. [Google Scholar]
c - Bouvard V., Loomis D., Guyton K.Z., Grosse Y., El Ghissassi F., Benbrahim-Tallaa L., Straif K. Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16:1599–1600. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00444-1. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
d- Khambadkone S.G., Cordner Z.A., Dickerson F., Severance E.G., Prandovszky E., Pletnikov M., Yolken R.H. Nitrated meat products are associated with mania in humans and altered behavior and brain gene expression in rats. [(accessed on 20 July 2018)];Mol. Psychiatr. 2018 1 doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0105-6. Available online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41...83.1356982819.1533859200-205996752.1533859200. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
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