This archive report was first published on 19 November 2021.
Published on November 19, 2021, a study examining global trade in red and processed meats has revealed a disturbing link between the increased availability of these products and a rise in diet-related illnesses.
Researchers from the study, published in the British Medical Journal, analyzed data from 154 countries and found a strong correlation between the import and export of red and processed meats and the incidence of colorectal cancer, type-2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease.
According to the study, the increased intake of red and processed meat products via trade caused a significant increase in diet-related non-communicable diseases.
While the adverse effects of a diet high in red and processed meats are well known, the international trade of these products also has far-reaching impacts on the climate, through greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss, through shrinking habitat.
The study estimated a worldwide increase in related deaths of nearly 75 percent between 1993 and 2018, with major variations by geographical region.
Developing countries, which exponentially relied on red and processed meat imports to meet their increased meat demands under rapid urbanisation and income growth, saw a rate of increase in related deaths more than double that of developed countries.
