A study conducted at Durham University, which was recently published in the journal "Appetite," found that warning labels including a graphic image "similar to those warning of impotence, heart disease or lung cancer on cigarette packets" could reduce the selection of meals containing meat by up to 10%, as reported by Damien Gayle at The Guardian.
The study "split 1,001 meat-eating adults into four groups and showed each group pictures of hot meat, fish, vegetarian, and vegan canteen-style meals." These were presented with "a health warning label, a climate warning label, a pandemic warning label or no label." The pandemic label was most effective at dissuading the participants from eating the meals with meat, followed by the health, then the climate warnings, at 10%, 8.8% and 7.4% respectively. According to Gayle, ultimately "researchers said the differences [between the warnings] were not statistically significant and that participants had judged the climate warnings to be the most credible."
In addition to contributing to climate change on a global scale, consuming meat can also result in many personal health issues as well. An October study recently revealed that people who routinely eat a lot of red meat — as well as processed meats — "may be increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes."
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