Meat consumption in Europe started out 2014 down. Beef and veal, in particular, were already down 2% in 2013. The 2014 trend is on the heals of warnings from the scientific community about dementia, diabetes and cancer as well as new government guidelines encouraging consumers to eat less red meat. The high-protein diet trend is currently at its peak and is thought to be preventing a steeper decline. In particular, the Belgian Superior Health Council recommended people eat no more than 500g of fresh red meat per week to improve their health and avoid cancers. There was also a study released that linked cooked meat and Alzheimer's disease. Finally, in March a study of a large number of people was released showing that the risk of deat from cancer in people aged under 65 was four times higher if they consumed high levels of animal proteins and their overall risk of dying was double. Experts are saying this "eat less meat" trend may have been started by the 2008 financial crisis when consumers were forced to reduce their weekly grocery budgets. However, the trend is now being fueled by health concerns.
