Impact of Meat Consumption on the Health of People, the Animals They Eat, and the Earth's Resources

Abstract

Food consumption has both direct, immediate impacts and longer-lasting effects on human health and wellbeing. This chapter considers the evidence behind the impact of animal foods on human health. It also reviews the impact of intensive animal production on the health and wellbeing of the animals themselves, including their breeding and conditions in which they are reared. The potential for factory farms to contribute to the global threat of antibiotic resistance and to be the breeding ground for a viral pandemic is also considered. Intensive animal farming is further adversely affecting the earth's resources of cereals, soy and water. The conclusion is that there is overwhelming evidence for a reduction in consumption of animal products on the grounds of health, the use of the earth's precious resources and the wellbeing of the animals consumed for food.