Health

Britons cut meat consumption by 17%, but must double that to hit target

Britons have cut their meat consumption by 17% over the past decade but will need to double these efforts if they are to meet targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production set out in the national food strategy earlier this year.

Meat production is a major contributor to global heating and land degradation, while eating lots of red and processed meat has been linked to a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

For these reasons, the government-commissioned national food strategy for England recently recommended that people try to cut their meat consumption by about 30% within the next decade.

To understand how much meat people in the UK are currently eating, Cristina Stewart, a health behaviours researcher at the University of Oxford, and colleagues turned to dietary data recorded in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This annual exercise involves asking a nationally representative sample of the population to keep a food diary for four consecutive days.

The analysis, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, found that between 2008-9 and 2018-19 participants’ average meat consumption decreased from about 103g per person a day to 86g, a reduction of about 17g or 17%. This is equivalent to eating roughly two and a half fewer pork sausages each week.

There was an absolute reduction of 13.7g of red meat and 7g processed meat, and a 3.2g increase in white meat consumption.

Stewart said: “I think the reductions that we’re seeing are positive, but we’re moving pretty slowly, and if we continue reducing our meat consumption at the same rate, we’re not really going to be reaching these dietary targets.”

Although the environmental impact of white meat is lower than red meat’s, plant-based sources of protein have a lower impact still. “We’re hoping that this analysis, which helps us better understand meat consumption trends and patterns, could help to tailor public health policies and behavioural interventions to try and accelerate that reduction and meet those targets,” Stewart added.

Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “While it’s encouraging to see more people are starting to eat less red and processed meat, we know that some people are still eating more than the recommended maximum of 70g per day, putting them at greater risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.

“We need to look beyond meat to benefit from the full range of protein sources available to us. Including plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, or using these to bulk out meat dishes can be a healthy way to cut down on the amount of red and processed meat consumption.”

The team also looked at differences in total meat consumption between different subgroups of the population, finding that this was higher among white participants compared with minority ethnic groups, regardless of household income.

“That was quite surprising because a lot of literature suggests that people from lower socioeconomic status groups consume more meat … and more red and processed meat,” said Stewart.

Another surprise was that people born in the 1980s and 1990s were the highest meat consumers, and those born after 1999 were the only subgroup to have increased their consumption over time.

Stewart said: “We’ve seen from various surveys that younger groups consider the environment and climate change to be more important, and they tend to be more interested in reducing meat consumption. People in that subgroup were 19 years and younger, so it could be that for the first few years of the survey, what they were eating was reflective of their household, rather than their preferences as individuals. Even so, it was a surprise.”

Health

Sierra Leone reports first case of monkeypox

Sierra Leone has reported its first confirmed case of mpox since the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its highest alert level for the potentially deadly viral disease last year.

According to the National Public Health Agency, the patient is a 27-year-old man from the rural district of the Western Zone, near the capital Freetown.

“Health teams are actively tracing and investigating to identify potentially exposed persons and to prevent further spread,” the agency announced in a social media post.

The confirmed case was detected on January 10, though health officials have not specified the variant affecting the patient.

Mpox, caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, presents with high fever and skin lesions known as vesicles.

The disease was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 and had mainly been limited to a dozen African countries before spreading more widely in 2022, including to regions where the virus had not previously circulated. The WHO declared its highest alert level for the disease in 2024.

In response, Sierra Leonean health authorities have swiftly activated containment measures. The infected patient has been placed in isolation while contacts will be monitored for 21 days. Surveillance efforts have been increased in all areas visited by the patient.

A public awareness campaign has been launched, and health workers are being equipped with protective gear and trained in prevention techniques to curb further spread.

Sierra Leone was previously one of the hardest-hit countries during the Ebola epidemic, which claimed around 4,000 lives, including nearly seven percent of the nation’s health workers, between 2014 and 2016.

Health

Risk of HMPV infection in Nigeria moderate- NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the risk of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the country is moderate.

HMPV, which was first reported in 2001 in the Netherlands, is a single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold and influenza including cough, fever, nasal congestion, and fatigue, with an incubation period of three to six days.

It causes severe complications like pneumonia in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems and spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces.

China is currently experiencing an outbreak of the virus, sparking global concern. India has also reported at least two cases of the virus.

In an advisory issued, the NCDC said the agency, in collaboration with the ministry of health, is closely monitoring global developments. The agency said as of January 6, 2025, data from surveillance does not indicate any unusual increase in respiratory infections, including those caused by HMPV.

“However, given the global trends in HMPV cases, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is proactively implementing measures to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capacity.

In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), conducted a dynamic risk assessment for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).

The assessment classified the risk of HMPV for Nigeria as moderate. This evaluation will inform and guide preparedness efforts, decision-making, and response strategies to mitigate potential impacts.”

The NCDC said it is also collaborating with port health authorities to ensure robust preparedness at all international points of entry (PoEs).

“In addition, quarantine facilities are being identified and prepared to manage any suspected or confirmed cases if required. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) materials are being deployed to PoEs to ensure adherence to hygiene and safety protocols. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials are being developed and distributed to raise awareness and provide clear guidelines for frontline staff and travelers at PoEs.

The National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance (NISS) sites across the six geopolitical zones monitor Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) which is already testing for COVID-19, will now also start testing for HMPV. Provisions will be made to increase the number of tests conducted. Additionally, laboratories in states with international airports will be supported to enable them to test for HMPV.”

Health

WHO declares new COVID outbreak in China global health emergency

The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China, a global health emergency.

The WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a press conference in Geneva.

WHO’s emergency committee on the epidemic had reportedly met Thursday afternoon and recommended designating the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC.

The decision had been “almost unanimous,” Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, said at the press conference.

“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” Tedros said at the press conference.

“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems and which are ill-prepared to deal with it. Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.”

Tedros also outlined recommendations made by the emergency committee to control the outbreak, including accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs and combatting the spread of misinformation.

This is the sixth time WHO has used that label, Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC. since the designation was introduced 15 years ago.