Tenuously related article photograph.

One day we are being hectored and nannied into eating less meat because someone somewhere decided they are entitled to tell us what we may or may not eat  :

Government advisers to recommended lower meat consumption

Britons will be told this week to limit their red meat consumption to the equivalent of a large pack of mince a week for the sake of their health.

A Government-commissioned report to be published by scientists will say that eating less red meat and processed meat lowers the risk of developing cancer.

It is expected to recommended that consumers eat no more than 2.5 oz (70g) of red or processed meat a day – the equivalent of three rashers of bacon.

The weekly recommended limit is likely to be 1.1 lb (500g), the same as eating a large pack of minced beef, two 8oz steaks or four 4oz pork chops.

However ministers are likely to face accusations that they are furthering the “nanny state” by telling citizens what to eat, while the farming and retail industries will object strongly to anything that threatens their livelihoods.

As an aside, notice the bit in red which must make it more official and scary or maybe evidence of an idle journo who forgot to get all the facts down at the press briefing.

And the next day we are being told that it may not be a good idea to reduce your meat intake after all :

Women at risk of iron deficiency if meat consumption falls

Women could be put at greater risk of iron deficiency if they follow new advice to eat less red meat, it has been warned.

A Government-commissioned report will recommend this week that Britons limit their consumption to 1.1lb (500g) of red or processed meat a week in order to reduce their risk of developing bowel cancer.

This is equivalent to eating a large pack of minced beef or two 8oz steaks a week, or three rashers of bacon daily.

However there is concern that some groups, particularly women, may develop iron deficiencies if they reduce their meat consumption too drastically.

Without sufficient iron to produce red blood cells, women are prone to develop anaemia which can cause tiredness, fainting and heart palpitations.

The draft report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published in 2009, acknowledges that “girls and women of reproductive age” are already “at risk of iron deficiency”.

There is also a health professional making a decent point for a change (emphasis mine) :

Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietician who is also a member of the Meat Advisory Panel, said: “We’ve already got 50 per cent of women in this country who have iron intakes below the absolute minimum in your diet.

“Are we going to have more women who are going to be iron deficient because of this sort of advice?

“Women are already below the 70g and it’s usually women that take on board new public health advice and start cutting things out.”

I only wish that the government and associated shroud wavers and interest groups to just fuck off and leave us to our own devices.

On a related diet and hectoring note, Devils Knife has a wonderful skewering of a whole raft of health advice here.