Daily consumption of (red) meat or meat products in Switzerland: results of the 1992/93 Swiss Health Survey

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the frequency of daily meat and meat product consumption and the preference for red meat in Switzerland. Design: Cross-sectional Study. Settings and subjects: Data were taken from the 1992a1993 Swiss Health Survey, which collected data on a random sample of persons aged 15 and over, living in Switzerland. The survey, which had a response rate of 71%, included 7930 male and 7358 female respondents. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regressions controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were performed. Results: Daily consumption of meat or meat products (25%) and more frequent consumption of red than white meat (26% of meat eaters) were prevalent in Switzerland. Men, middle-aged persons, participants with a low level of education, persons living in the German or Francophone regions of Switzerland, those with Swiss nationality, smokers, overweight and obese people, those with daily alcohol consumption and physically inactive persons were found to consume daily meat or meat products more frequently. A preference for red meat rather than white meat was more often observed in men, young people, persons living in the German or Francophone regions of Switzerland, smokers and participants who consumed alcohol at least once daily. Conclusions: The analysis of data from the 1992a1993 Swiss Health Survey shows that in speci®c subgroups of the Swiss population meat and meat product consumption is still more frequent than recommended, but crude comparisons with older and more recent studies indicate a decrease in meat consumption. The observed clustering of daily meat consumption with other risk factors underscores the necessity to include dietary recommendations in health programs addressing other unhealthy lifestyles. Descriptors: consumption of (red) meat and meat products; sociodemographic factors; lifestyle factors;

Impact of disaggregation of composite foods on estimates of intakes of meat and meat products in Irish adults

“…Despite the growing popularity of vegetarianism 55 and the impact of the BSE crisis 4 , the majority of Irish adults were consumers of meat and meat products (98% of men and 99% of women), and this is consistent with observations from the UK 56 , Switzerland 57 and the USA 58 . Compared with the meat intakes reported in the Irish National Nutrition Survey 28 , the intakes of beef and meat products are lower in the current estimates.…”

“…Other studies have shown similar differences in meat consumption by socio-economic status 36,57,75,76 . In conclusion, meat makes an important contribution to nutrient intakes in the Irish diet.…”

The Significance of Meat in the Diet

“…red meat and processed meat, reflecting consumer habits. Despite of the growing popularity of vegetarianism [142] and the impact of the BSE crisis [4], the majority (80-99%) of European adults are consumers of meat and meat products [18,138] and this is consistent with observations from the US [143] and Australia [118].…”

“…The main B vitamins in meat are thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins B6 and B12 [16][17][18]. Because vitamin B12 is a by-product of animal metabolism, virtually all types of meats are excellent sources of vitamin B12 and foods of animal origin provide the only dietary source of vitamin B12 [17,19].…”

Who eats healthily? A population-based study among young Swiss residents

“…In Switzerland, the number of overweight people aged 15-74 years increased from 24?9 % in 1992 to 29?4 % in 2002 (1) . The long-term consequences of obesity are numerous.…”