From Ross Rounsevell, University of Cambridge
Although I agree in principle with the idea of reducing meat intake, and the corresponding reduction in saturated fat, I am not so sure about Meatless Monday’s sound-bite promotion tactics.
The US Department of ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ and Human Services initiative “ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏy People 2010” has the ambitious objective of cutting Americans’ intake of saturated fat by 15 per cent. But trying to achieve this by inspiring people to have a day a week without meat seems flawed.
I very much doubt that one day without a significant amount of saturated fat would have as much of a health benefit as reducing the daily intake by a few per cent. What’s more, it fails to take into account people’s reward system – the one that lets you be more gluttonous than usual following a period of abstention. A few hours with the average dieter will usually illustrate this thinking with a “Well, I didn’t have much for lunch so I can have…”
Cambridge, UK
