A new survey conducted by NIBIO researcher Anne Milford through the market research agency Kantar shows that people who are concerned about eating Norwegian-produced food tend to consume more red meat than those who are not.

This finding contradicts the current dietary advice from the Norwegian Directorate of Health, which recommends a lower intake of red meat, writes Nationen.

The study analysed the relationship between people’s attitudes to Norwegian food production and their intake of red and white meat, fish and vegetarian products. The results show that the more concerned people were about buying Norwegian food, the more frequently they consumed red meat.

NIBIO researcher Anne Milford says that many people who favour Norwegian food choose foods that are less in line with official dietary advice. However, the study says nothing about the causal relationship behind this.

Dordi Lerum, who herself eats more meat than recommended to support Norwegian self-sufficiency and Norwegian farmers, believes that the dietary guidelines are not adapted to Norwegian conditions. She points out that Norway is a country with a lot of grazing and animal husbandry, and that it is therefore important to utilise these resources.

Milford emphasises that it is positive that many people support Norwegian agriculture, but points out that this can also be done by buying more Norwegian plant foods, as Norway currently imports large quantities of vegetables, fruit and berries. She believes that there is great potential to increase Norwegian production of such goods.

Lerum is critical of the dietary advice that encourages increased intake of coarse grain products and legumes, as she believes these are foods that are not sufficiently produced in Norway.

Milford believes that if consumers want to follow the dietary guidelines and at the same time eat Norwegian produce, tasty ready-made products based on Norwegian plant-based raw materials must be developed.