Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 10 June 2025
There are a couple of points to highlight. We are undergoing a review of the Scottish dietary goals, and part of the review is about looking at the data supporting health improvement. The goals are set with that predominantly in mind but also considering sustainability. The results of that review will be published towards the end of this year. That is one way in which we are addressing these issues.
We have also looked at the adherence of the Scottish population to the Climate Change Committee’s recommendations. We have done an analysis of adults’ dietary intakes, and we have also recently done an analysis of children’s dietary intakes. We are passing on that advice to the minister very soon.
If we were to adhere to existing recommendations for adults on red and red processed meat—for example, if high consumers reduced their consumption to recommended maximums—that would achieve a 16 per cent reduction in the eating of meat and it would go a long way to achieving some of those recommendations, or certainly the first stage of them.
However, we need to be really careful. Analysis has shown that, at a population level, our diet is really poor. Approximately 1 per cent of the population—or even less—meet the “Eatwell Guide” recommendations or the Scottish dietary goals recommendations.
If we start to change things by reducing meat consumption, for example, that can have a negative impact in terms of micronutrient status. It is possible to reduce meat consumption, with good replacements, and still have a healthy diet. However, because our diets are currently so poor, there is a risk in doing so. Therefore, we need to look at the totality of the diet and improve it and move to achieving more of those goals and recommendations.