The Worldwatch Institute reports this week that the production and consumption of meat is continuing to rise. Much of the increase is due to increased income in developing countries, as they aspire to live a life closer to ours. Let’s set a good example and show that eating large amounts of meat and dairy is not something to aspire to; it’s destroying our planet and our health.

The world’s appetite for meat continues to grow—in 2008, meat production topped an estimated 280 million tons and production is expected to exceed 285 million tons by the end of 2009. Meat production has doubled since the mid-1970s and over the last 50 years has increased fivefold. Experts project that by 2050 nearly twice as much meat will be produced as today, at more than 465 million tons. More than half of all meat and dairy products are produced in developing nations.

Meat consumption is also growing worldwide. Currently 42 kilograms of meat are consumed per person worldwide. Consumption varies greatly, however, between countries. In the developing world, people eat about 32 kilograms of meat a year—a 17 percent increase over the last 10 years. But consumers in the industrial world eat more than 81 kilograms each in a year.

Rising meat consumption is the result of several factors, including increased population growth, the movement of people to cities, and growing incomes. The income elasticity of demand for meat products is high; in other words, increases in income are positively correlated with meat consumption.

To read the full report visit: http://vitalsigns.worldwatch.org/vs-trend/meat-production-and-consumption-continues-grow