Insights Into Chinese Diets

Abstract

The rise in demand for beef in China is occurring at a time when red meat consumption is being discouraged by leading health authorities globally. Social marketing starts by understanding individuals and the social and built environment that they are a part of to gain actionable insights which can be used in policy and program action to change behaviours for the better. This chapter aims to understand why Chinese individuals consume red meat. Through ethnographic and systematic analysis of twenty-three selected users' postings over a six-month period on Meishi and Chinese Food Safety electronic message boards (“netnography”), an understanding is developed why affluent Chinese consumers buy imported beef products from international groceries. Acknowledging that obesity is a complex multi-factorial issue, environmental and social norms are considered to ensure a broader view is taken. Recommendations for social marketing are made.