BY THE NUMBERS
• In 1971, Americans ate an average of almost 150 pounds of red meat (beef, veal, pork and lamb) per person per year. In 2014, it was 102 pounds per person.
• In the 1950s, Americans ate an average of 16 pounds of chicken per person per year. In 1965, it was 37 pounds. In 2014, it was 85 pounds.
• Americans eat about 200 pounds per person of total meat yearly today.
• Nearly a quarter of the total meat we eat today is processed.
• Processed meat includes corned beef, jerky, ham, bacon, pepperoni, hot dogs, sausages, canned meat and meat-based preparations and sauces.
• About 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meats.
Data from USDA, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Global Burden of Disease Project.
