A new report from Food Standards Scotland (FSS) reveals that reducing meat and dairy consumption can help meet the Scottish Dietary Goals and climate targets, however, without replacement with other nutrient-rich foods, it may worsen existing nutrient insufficiencies, particularly for young people.
Improvements are needed to the overall diets of children and young people alongside reductions to meat and dairy– ensuring benefits to both health and planet.
The research, conducted by the University of Edinburgh using data from the 2024 Dietary Intake in Scotland’s cHildren (DISH) Survey, shows that:
- 90% of children consume meat and 99.6% consume dairy
- Replacing meat and dairy with suitable alternatives - such as pulses, legumes, eggs, oily fish, and plant-based meat and dairy alternatives - can help achieve the Scottish Dietary Goals and mitigate some risks of nutrient insufficiency.
- Significant improvements are needed to the overall diets of children and young people alongside reductions to meat and dairy– ensuring benefits to both health and planet.
- Greenhouse gas emissions from children’s diets could be reduced by up to 28% by reducing meat and dairy in line with recommendations from the Climate Change Committee.
Young people aged 11–15 could especially benefit from overall improvements to diet, as their diets are already low in some nutrients. Careful replacement strategies can help reduce risks, alongside wholescale improvements to diet to improve health and better support climate change ambitions.
Alana McDonald, Senior Public Health Nutritionist at Food Standards Scotland, said: “This research highlights how improving our diets overall can also contribute towards environmental sustainability.
“Meat and dairy are sources of several micronutrients for children and young people, particularly those in their teenage years who are already at risk of low intakes of calcium, iodine and zinc.
“While we support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it’s vital that dietary changes are made to bring our diets closer to the Eatwell Guide – improving both nutritional health and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food. We need to ensure that families, schools and policymakers are equipped with the right tools and guidance to support healthy, balanced diets - especially for those most at risk.”
Professor Lindsay Jaacks, Chair of Global Health and Nutrition at the University of Edinburgh, added: “Our modelling shows that it is possible to reduce meat and dairy consumption in line with climate targets, and this would have the added benefit of improving adherence to the Scottish Dietary Goals. However, in order to improve micronutrient intakes at the same time, healthy alternatives should be promoted alongside reductions in meat and dairy.
“To enable these shifts in what we eat, the broader food environment needs to change with healthy, sustainable options becoming more widely available, affordable, and convenient.”
FSS is calling on policymakers, educators, and families to take action by promoting balanced diets and improving the food environment to support consumers in achieving healthy and sustainable diets, in alignment with the Eatwell Guide.
On the 29th October, FSS will host a webinar where Prof Lindsay Jaacks will run through the findings and then be joined by Alana McDonald for a Q&A.