Meat+=+MAN


 *  Christina Paiva **
 *  n8536236 **
 *  Tutor: Michelle Newcomb **


 * The Artefact **



The artefact chosen is of a man sitting at a dinner table contemplating devouring of a large steak rather begrudgingly; this can be seen in his expression and white knuckled clenched fists. It’s almost as if it’s an obligation or chore rather than eating for enjoyment. The man seen is wearing a suit representing society’s perception of a successful man should look like to reflect power and wealth.


 * The Public Health Issue **

According to the Australian dietary guidelines we eat twice the recommended amount of meat required for adequate nutrition. (NHMRC, 2013). On a nutritional level overconsumption is linked to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity (McAfeea et al, 2010). As a result of overconsumption there is great demand for meat and meat products causing mass production of meat through factory farming. Factory farming contributes to a range of public health issues including sustainability problems from deforestation for paddocks and cause of topsoil erosion causing masses amounts of land to be unusable for any kind of plant growth, global warming, water quality problems and ethicacy of the way we treat animals just to name a few. (PETA, n.d.)


 * Literature Review **

There are nutritional benefits of meat consumption. Meat and meat products are an important source of essential vitamins and nutrient in the diet including protein, longchain n-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Some of which are more bioavailable (ready to be absorbed) in meat and meat products rather than alternative sources.

In Australia the 2013 Dietary Guidelines suggest eating red meat within a balanced diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables. They also outline the importance of red meat for growing children and pregnant women. The recommended amount of red meat is 445g per week maximum (NHMRC, 2013). According to Meat and Livestock Australia, 2012, Australians ate around 32.5kg of beef per person in 2012-13 (MLA estimate). That is 625g per week which is well over the recommended amount. This figure is not including mutton, lamb or goat.

Kontogianni, 2008, conducted a case control study on the association between meat intake and the prevalence of a first non-fatal episode of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) or Unstable Angina. 956 patients were randomly selected from private major private hospitals with first symptom ACS. Medical records, alcohol intake, physical activity and smoking habits information was recorded and food habits were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Statistical analysis estimated the odds ratio of having ACS by meat intake amounts after adjusting for several confounders. It was found that an increased consumption of red meat showed a positive correlation with cardiac disease risk compared to white meat where the study showed less noticeable results.

Norat et al, 2005, conducted a cohort study of 478 040 men and women from range European countries who were cancer free at the beginning of the study from 1992 and 1998. Diet and lifestyle information was assessed at the beginning of the study then a follow up of 4.8 years and incidence of colorectal cancers were documented whilst examining the association between processed and red meat, white meat and poultry and colorectal cancer risk. Adjusting for age, sex, weight, height, work related physical activity, smoking, alcohol and a range of lifestyle health behaviours. It was concluded that there is a consistent positive correlation between increased intake of red and processed meat and colorectal cancer and inverse association between white meat and colorectal cancer. It was projected that 70 % of colorectal cancer could avoided by lifestyle changes. Risk factors identified by this study included obesity, physical inactivity, increased alcohol consumption, smoking at younger age and high red meat consumption.

Taylor et al, 2007, from British Journal of Cancer conducted a cohort study consisting of 35 372 women to compare the relationship between meat consumption and meat type with risk of breast cancer in the UK. Women age ranged between 36 and 69 years were assessed using a 217-item food frequency questionnaire. It was concluded that women who consume the most amount of meat which included red and processed had the highest risk of breast cancer compared to non-meat eaters and strong positive correlation with high red meat intake and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women with risk heightened by processed meats.

A case co-hort designed study by Diabetologia, 2013 investigated the association between a diet rich in meat and type 2 diabetes. Among 340234 people were followed over 11.7 years and in that time 12403 cases of diabetes developed. Statistical analysis using prentice-weighted Cox regression and multivariate analysis revealed strong positive association between type 2 diabetes and increase in total meat consumption, red meat, and processed meat for both men and women.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A cross sectional study was done by Beydoun & Wang, 2009, using the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey was used to analyse associations between meat consumption and obesity controlling possible confounders. Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 data was collected for statistical analysis. It was revealed that there were variances in meat consumption among different sociodemographic groups in adults and those who had higher meat intake also had an increased total daily energy intake. It was concluded that there was a consistent positive correlation between meat consumption and BMI and waist circumference. Hence increased risk of obesity correlates with high meat consumption.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overall from reviewing the papers there were a few key themes/limitations that the literature: there were inconsistencies with how they measured meat consumption as many included processed meats within the red meat category. Processed meats have a higher saturated fat content which most of the studies evidently included in their analysis that saturated fat intake was positively associated with adverse health outcomes. There was lack of evidence on lean red meats and risk of chronic disease. The studies did find positive association with meat consumption and the adverse health outcome being analysed. But also they did always have control of confounding issues, for example people who consumed high amounts of red meat also consumed more processed foods and had other poor health behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity which also contribute to the chronic diseases or adverse health outcomes being measured.


 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 18.6667px;">Cultural **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 18.6667px;"> **and Social Analysis**



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Australia is one of the biggest meat exporters in the world and the biggest meat eaters per capita second to Americans. Australians have always been big on meat; the Australian traditional meal consists of beef as the centrepiece with about 3 peas on the side and a glob of mash potato. In recent years trends have changed with beef consumption halved and an increased demand for chicken and pork possibly as a result of media negativity on the association of red meat and cholesterol levels (Taylor, 2007).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to sociologist Deborah Lupton, meat is gendered. For example food associated with men or masculinity are steak, meat pies and filling foods which take a while to digest. Feminine foods would include a salad or other plant based foods which are easy to chew on, reflecting femininity or weakness. Hence why vegetarian men are viewed as feminine or weak, common belief that to be a man you must eat meat otherwise you might get weak from not enough protein for muscle development.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dating back to hunter gatherer culture, males were originally hunters which are associated with masculinity. Hunters spent days trying to catch and kill animals for meat to bring back to their tribe and when they did they had succeeded at their task. The more meat caught the more powerful and at the top of the food chain your tribe was. Whereas gatherers of plant based foods who were typically female were seen as weak and submissive. (Fidds, 1984.) Portrayed in the artefact the man seen must eat meat and wear a suit to represent society’s perception of a successful man should look like to reflect power and wealth.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The efficiency, affordability and accessibility of fast foods and processed meats in recent years have greatly impacted on obesity contributing to chronic disease. Australia’s growing population of immigrants is radically changing the way Australians eat, introduction of plant based foods such as Thai cuisine have influenced a new palate which is predominantly vegetarian in nature. In very recent years it was observed that immigrants are more likely to purchase fast foods containing processed meats. This is because since many of the countries which immigrants originated from meat depict meat as asign of wealth. This fact and affordability of processed meats, fast food is a popular menu item amongst new immigrants, consequently contributing to increasing rates of obesity and chronic disease. (ECCQ, 2011).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Awareness has changed meat consumption patterns in the past (media negativity on red meat and high cholesterol) which resulted in a decrease in red meat demand in Australia. Awareness on processed meats and high amounts of red meat is important to not only improve health outcomes but to also decrease environmental damage associated with factory farming which is placing a devastating strain on our world. (PETA, n.d., 2011.) To achieve these Public health experts should focus on abolishing stigma associating meat eating to masculinity or vegetarianism and weakness by awareness through health promotion strategies.


 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 18.6667px;">Own Learning Reflections **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am personally vegetarian and throughout my life I have been challenged by other as to why I am. From this assignment I have greater knowledge on the nutritional benefits of red meat, environmental aspects of factory farming and the way that eating meat has evolved to create a social or cultural identity in Australia and the way we consume meat as perceived by the artefact.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am pleased to have the knowledge so I can personally inform others of the benefits of being a vegetarian. I have learnt that if people reduced their intake of meat (say meat free Mondays) or stuck to the recommended maximum amount of red meat intake suggested by the Australian guidelines to healthy eating. We would greatly reduce our environmental footprint. We would have less chronic disease as a result of increased fruit and vegetable intake and less saturated fats from meat. Decreased demand for meat would decrease factory farming hence less cruel treatment to animals.


 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Reflection and Comments on wikis **

http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/High+Support+For+Getting+High
 * Comment 1:**

http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/%27I+just+really+love+meat%27+-+So+is+Factory+Farming+and+Animal+Cruelty+justifiable%3F
 * Comment 2:**

//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Association between dietary meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: the EPIC-InterAct study. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> (2013). //Diabetologia 56//:47–59 doi: 10.1007/s00125-012-2718-7
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">References: **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Livestock and Meat Australia. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Beydoun, M.A. & Wang, Y. (2009). Meat consumption is associated with obesity and central obesity among US adults. //International Journal of Obesity, 33,// 621- 628. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE|A202439832&v=2.1&u=qut&it=r&p=H RCA&sw=w&authCount=1

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland. (2011) Chronic Disease. Retrieved from [] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Fiddes, N. (1994). Social aspects of meat eating. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Proceedings of the Nutrition Society //, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">53 //(2), 271. doi: 10.1079/PNS19940032.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Kontogianni, M.D., Panagiotakos, D.B., Pitsavos, C., Chrysohoou, C & and Stefanadis, C. (2008). Relationship between meat intake and the development of acute coronary syndromes: the CARDIO2000 case–control study. //European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62,// 171–177; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602713

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lupton, D. (1996). Theoretical Perspectives on Food and Eating. Food, the body, and the self. London; Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 9-16. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">McAfeea,A. ,McSorleya, E.,Cuskellyb, G.,Mossc, B., Wallacea, J., Bonhama, M. & Fearonc, A. (2010). Red meat consumption: An overview of the risks and benefits. //Meat science// //84// 1–13. Retrieved from [|http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0309174009002514#]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Meat and Livestock Australia. (2012). Cattle. Retrieved from [] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">National Health and Medical Research Council, Department of Health and Ageing (2013). //Eat for Health Australian Dietary Guidelines//. Australian Government: Canberra.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Norat, T., Bingham, S., Ferrari, P., Slimani, M., Jenab, M., Mazuir, M., … Riboli, E. (2005). Meat, Fish, and Colorectal Cancer Risk: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. //Journal of the National Cancer Institute 97// (12): 906-916. doi: 10.1093/jnci/dji164

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. (n.d.) Meat and the Environment. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Taylor, E., Burley, V., Greenwood, C., Cade, J. (2007). Meat consumption and risk of breast cancer in the UK Women’s Cohort Study. //British Journal of Cancer 96//, 1139–1146. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603689