Beef & lamb save health $s

Less red meat in people’s diets is leading to ill-health that’s costing the health system millions of dollars:

As the amount of red meat Kiwis eat shrinks, hospitalisations for iron deficiency anaemia are on the rise.

And it’s costing millions. The cost of hospitalisations – primarily due to iron deficiency anaemia – has crept up from an annual $3.2 million to $6.7m over the past 10 years, according to Ministry of Health figures released under the Official Information Act.

Over the past three years, MOH has spent close to $20m for treatment.  . .

Those suggesting a tax on meat should take note of this.

A cost increase would lead people to choose less healthy substitutes which would do nothing to counter obesity and could lead to iron deficiencies.

It is possible to get enough iron from a meat-free diet, but it takes a lot of substitutes to equal the iron in red meat.