Dr Shireen Kassam is a Consultant Haematologist at King’s College Hospital, Visiting-Professor at University of Winchester, Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Founder/Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK. She is on X @shireenkassam1
Dr Christelle Blunden is a GP in Southampton and a member of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK.
Dr Matthew Lee is a resident doctor and volunteers as Sustainability Lead for Doctors Association UK. He is on X @Mattylee96
Professor Amir Kassam is Visiting Professor in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, and the Moderator of the Global Conservation Agriculture Community of Practice (CA-CoP) Platform. He is on X @AmirKassam1
The scientific consensus is clear: to achieve our climate and nature goals, we must swiftly transition away from animal agriculture and embrace a plant-based food system supported by sustainable crop production management. The global food system is responsible for more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with red meat and dairy production contributing to over half of these emissions. Additionally, animal agriculture is a major driver of land degradation, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and pollution of water and oceans, all while using vast amounts of land and water. This has left the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
to achieve our climate and nature goals, we must swiftly transition away from animal agriculture and embrace a plant-based food system supported by sustainable crop production management
To counter this destructive trend, widespread adoption of whole food plant-based diets supported by sustainable crop production, whilst minimising the consumption of animal products is crucial. This approach is inclusive of all cultural and traditional dietary practices, offers delicious options, and confers human and planetary health benefits.
For years, the UK has inaccurately perpetuated the notion that British farming is among the most sustainable globally. A staggering 85% of UK farmland is dedicated to raising animals for food, yet it only provides 32% of the nation’s calories. Much of this land is used to graze cows and sheep, with 40% of cropped farmland allocated to growing animal feed rather than crops for human consumption. This has led to animal products being amongst the UK’s main export commodities.
Moreover, 70% of the UK’s total food-related emissions come from red meat and dairy production and methane emissions from cows alone threaten our ability to limit global warming to safe levels. Studies clearly show that carbon sequestration in grasslands cannot offset the climate impact caused by grazing animals.
Only 15% of UK farmland is used to grow crops directly for human consumption while the majority of the nation’s fruits and vegetables as well as grain legumes and nuts are imported.
From a public health perspective, excessive consumption of red meat and dairy is also linked to 42,000 deaths annually in the UK. Conversely, 70,000 deaths in the UK in 2020 were associated with insufficient intake of nutritious plant-based foods. We therefore have an opportunity to improve public health and reclaim much of our farmland for nature, environmental societal services, and carbon sequestration by drastically reducing animal farming, particularly the production and consumption of red meat and dairy. Adopting sustainable and regenerative crop production systems, in particular no-till Conservation Agriculture, is a valuable approach for this transition.
So why do animal agriculture lobby groups continue to promote meat and dairy consumption, often with government backing? In the UK, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), a levy board established by the David Cameron government and sponsored by DEFRA, continues to mislead the public with campaigns like “Let’s Eat Balanced,” which promote red meat and dairy consumption at a cost of millions. An investigation by Open Democracy revealed that the £4.6 million campaign in January 2024 was approved by a serving minister, despite recommendations from the Climate Change Committee to reduce meat consumption. The investigation uncovered the AHDB privately acknowledged the health risks of red meat but publicly claimed their campaign is “proudly built on the foundation of the NHS Eatwell Guide.” This is misleading, as the campaign’s website includes ‘healthy recipes’ like Moroccan-style kebabs with 110g of lamb per person—well above the 70g daily limit recommended by the Eatwell Guide, with no disclaimer that such meals should not be consumed daily.
Medical organisations representing over a million healthcare professionals have urged the AHDB to drop this campaign, but their concerns have gone unanswered. The AHDB also continues to promote and support the inefficient tillage-based crop production which uses excessive amounts of agrochemicals and degrades the land causing soil erosion, runoff, flooding and environmental pollution. Red meat consumption is still promoted in schools through initiatives like the Meat Voucher Scheme from Quality Meat Scotland, which claims to ‘support the Scottish red meat sector’s efficiency, sustainability, and profitability’. The UK government also supports the provision of milk from cows, goats, and sheep in schools, yet there is a glaring lack of support for plant-based milk alternatives, despite their health benefits, environmental advantages, and suitability for those with lactose intolerance.
The food industry is using tactics that have been successfully employed by the tobacco and fossil fuel industries for decades. This is well-documented in the report “The New Merchants of Doubt: Big Meat and Dairy’s Corporate Playbook to Distract, Delay, and Derail Climate Action” by Changing Markets.
Health professionals remain complicit. Nutrition organisations receive sponsorship money from industry groups such as the AHDB. Doctors and nutrition professionals act as spokespeople for meat and dairy lobby groups including the AHDB, School and Nursery Milk Alliance and Devenish. Scientists, with financial ties to the meat and dairy industry, have teamed up to propagate misinformation in The Dublin Declaration which has been exposed as industry propaganda. The UK Government’s own nutrition advisors receive funding from food companies.
Our banks are complicit too, providing billions of pounds in financing to large meat and dairy corporations in the UK and globally. A report by Feedback, titled “Bankrolling the Butchers,” found that the “Big Six” banks—Barclays, HSBC, Santander, Lloyds, NatWest, and Standard Chartered—not only provided $77 billion in funding but also held nearly $1.2 billion in shareholdings in 55 meat and dairy companies as of March 2023.
…there is little outcry over the sponsorship and promotion of meat and dairy, despite the evidence-based environmental and public health concerns.
Despite claims that British farming upholds the highest animal welfare and environmental standards, the number of “mega farms” and industrial animal production units in the UK continues to rise, including the confinement of cows, as revealed by a BBC freedom of information request. Intensifying animal farming may reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to animals that graze freely, but it creates numerous other health and environmental problems. Confining animals in crowded spaces fosters the spread of diseases, increasing the risk of zoonoses and future pandemics.The widespread use of antibiotics in factory farming contributes significantly to antibiotic resistance in animals and humans. Waste from these farms pollutes our land, ground and surface water, air, and waterways, with around a third of particulate matter air pollution in UK cities originating from farming, mainly animal agriculture. The expansion of intensive chicken farming has also led to catastrophic pollution of the River Wye in Wales and manure from UK dairy farms continues to pollute our rivers.
Why does climate activism among healthcare professionals largely focus on fossil fuel emissions? Addressing the destructive impact of food and farming on the environment could have far-reaching health benefits and align with the One Health approach to healthcare. Like fossil fuel emissions, the science is clear: we don’t need more academic research, we need more action to promote the adoption of solutions that we know work. We must stop falling into the traps set by the meat and dairy industry, and farm machinery and agrochemical industry, to derail progress.
Meat is not necessary for protein, and dairy is not required for calcium
Farmers are on the front line of the climate crisis, and are already suffering catastrophic crop failures in the UK because of climatic changes. They are essential to climate mitigation and nature restoration, but need to be supported by their representative organisations and Government to transition to more sustainable practices. Healthcare professionals must be leading allies to farmers and push institutions to support this necessary dietary shift, so we can ensure a safe and liveable future for us all.
How can health professionals take action and show leadership?
- Promote whole food plant-based diets and animal-free no-till Conservation Agriculture in food systems as central elements of climate action.
- Move your individual and institutional money away from banks that finance meat and dairy production.
- Use your voice and trusted status with local and national governments to advocate for action for support to:
(a) align national policies and institutions on land use, environment and food system to meet human nutrition and health needs from plant-based diets and no-till Conservation Agriculture.
(b) help farmers transition away from animal agriculture and tillage agriculture to increase sustainable supplies of domestically produced fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, and environmental services to society.
- Medical, nutrition, and healthcare organisations should reject sponsorship from animal farming lobby groups.
- Health professionals should avoid working directly for lobby groups that are tied to destructive industries.
- Oppose the promotion of meat and dairy, and of tillage agriculture in schools and Universities, and strengthen education and research for plant-based sustainable food and land use management systems.
- Sign the Plant Based Treaty
- Support Plants First Healthcare, an initiative aimed at normalising plant-based meals as the default option in healthcare.
Declaration of interest: Dr Shireen Kassam is founder and director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK
Featured photo by Veronica White on Unsplash
Important topic; good to see fellow health professionals engaging in reasoned evidence based discussion of public health and climate and environmental concerns with clear implications for action
An essential read for all health professionals. We need to change the narrative on meat and dairy and implement the actions suggested in this article.
Thank you for putting a spotlight on the ‘elephant in the room.’ It’s time for doctors and other healthcare professionals to stop being complicit in the widely destructive effects of animal agriculture and to instead promote wholefood plant-based nutrition for its diverse benefits for both health and climate.
What a brilliant article, the best I have read as provides solutions as well as clearly stating the problems.
It’s brilliant to see this featuring in healthcare publications. This has been ignored by health professionals for far too long. We need to be supported in making the necessary changes to what we advise in General Practice.
Good to see these issue being addressed, with solutions. Health care professionals should become more aware of this and help with solutions rather than ignoring. Thanks for the inspiring article.
What a brilliant thorough review of the food problems we’re facing in this country and practical ways to solve them. We all need to do what we can to support a plant based eating by default system. Thanks so much for putting this information together so clearly.
Such an important topic to highlight, and one that is regularly overlooked.
Brilliant read with solution focused step by step approach to reduce animal exploitation and heal people and planet. An essential read for all HCPs promoting preventative medicine and healthy lifestyle. Now the government needs to make healthy food affordable and accessible to all.
A comprehensive analysis of the role of big business and lobbying in our food environment. As health professionals we should have a much bigger say in these issues that ultimately have a huge influence in the health of our country. Kudos to the authors for not just highlighting the problems but giving us solutions.
I had this as a learning need on my PDP list for my next appraisal so thank you for such a well timed article
The evidence is overwhelming in this article with the urgency to move towards a plant-based food system for animal welfare, human and planetary health.
Important topic that all doctors need to incorporate into their practice. Animal agriculture is detrimental to human health on multiple levels. Driving NCD, zoonosis, antibiotic resistance, major climate events, food insecurity, water insecurity, and mental health issues in places of agriculture/slaughterhouses. Keep up the great work PBHP.
As doctors, it is imperative that we think about the bigger picture of planetary health and sustainability of our food choices. This informative review has detailed the current situation in the UK and I hope our primary care colleagues take note. As clinicians we have a responsibility to encourage positive lifestyle choices. I hope this article will help influence clinicians to recommend a whole foods plant based dietary pattern for improved patient and planetary health.
A thought provoking article with an important call to action for all who work in health. The list of steps to take are particularly helpful as it can be hard to know where to start
I hope my colleagues are reading this. So many sensible discussion points yet still so difficult to prioritise plant based milks and foods in the GP workplace. We need these values as GPs to do the best for our patients and the planet!
Thanks for raising this really important topic. Working with our hospitals to follow Greener By Default menus would have a massive impact on healthcare related emissions.
Thank you for this well written evidence based article. The industry lobbying is very powerful and highlighting these important points are crucial for transition towards plant based food systems. Anyone with leadership roles in healthcare reading this article would be able to create an impact immensely from the information provided and by supporting the ‘Plant first health care’ initiative mentioned above to implement the changes for the greater good.
Brilliant article, so glad to see this very important topic being discussed in a healthcare publication, especially primary care. It’s high time for those of us especially in primary care to move away from advocating for meat and dairy. Thank you for your work.
You can only imagine the influence of dairy industry here in Finland where dairy is consumed most in the world because of aggressive marketing from cradel to grave. We lead T1D morbidity, but officials do ignore the strong dose dependent link between dairy consumption and T1 diabetes. Also osteporosis is utterly common here, not to mention the NAFLD epidemic in this cheasy and meaty country, where 3/4 citizens are deficient of fiber.
An essential and very timely article laying out the glaring truth we need to face up to as a society about how our dietary choices impact the climate. Despite claims that people won’t need to change their individual lifestyles in order to impact carbon emissions this clearly shows how we, as individuals and health professionals, can make a difference by choosing whole food plant based diets to improve both planetary and human health.
As doctors and healthcare professionals, we have the duty of care and transparency towards our patients. There is overwhelming evidence that a whole foods plant-based diet can prevent and reverse many lifestyle-related illnesses. It seems to go against our ethical duty not to convey this to our patients, whilst we strive to implement the best care possible. There is no doubt that the meat and dairy industry is having a detrimental impact not only on humans’ wellbeing but also on animal welfare and the survival of our planet. This article highlights the urgency to change this attitude of lack of transparency towards our patients, of denial of what is happening to our planet and the consequences that this will have on future generations. Shifting towards a whole foods plant-based diet is the only way forward.
What an interesting article, it would be great if all doctors were made aware of this information
Such a shame that corporations all put profit over health, ethics and environment, and that our system gives power to industry-funded lobbying groups. The article highlights sensible steps that should be taken to actually make some progress for positive change.
What a brilliant article. Thank you all for covering this vital topic! We can all make huge positive changes as healthcare professionals but also in our own lives to transitioning to plant-based food systems. A lot of great information here to share with colleagues that may need encouragement. Animal agriculture impacts our patients, the animals, the environment, and marginalised communities, and is a matter of public and global health.
Really useful article. Thank you very much. The way forward is clear
Great article. Thanks for highlighting such an important topic.
How refreshing to see a clear argument published in a medical journal for the adoption and promotion of a whole foods plant based diet for the climate (far too often overlooked, or discussions avoided) and for our health. I hope this reaches a wide audience.
”Health professionals remain complicit” -what a telling phrase. Whether it is through a limited awareness of the damaging effects of meat and dairy consumption on planetary and individual health, or a disinclination to speak out against the status quo for fear of being accused of wokery or telling people what to do, health professionals need to step up and use their trusted voices in this area. This article is a clear and evidence based pointer as to why and how they might achieve this.
Insightful read, never thought of meat that way before.
What a great article on such an important topic, I will be sharing with my colleagues.
I am sending this article to family, friends, colleagues and very importantly to my GP and other doctors from whom I and family receive care (including my dentist!). The authors have produced a readable, informative and ‘digestable’ article for lay people and medical community. Thank you. Waiting for more.
Excellent article explaining and connecting some of the most important issues of our time. Mainstreaming sustainable diets based on sustainable agriculture is essential to individual and planetary health and addressing the multiple interconnected crises we are facing. The influence of the meat and dairy industry in hindering progress on this must be challenged from all sides. Health professionals are excellently placed to show leadership on these issues. I hope they will step up.
Such a vital topic that doctors need to be aware of. This issue is often ignored, and we do so to the detriment not only of our patients, but also to the detriment of a sustainable world.
This really matters and needs addressing urgently
Thankyou
The research evidence is really clear – everyone needs to be moving to a plant-based diet for their health and for the environment. Meat and dairy should not be promoted. Instead the government and other agencies should be promoting the benefits of eating more fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.