(P23-028-25) Modeled Sustainability Impacts of Increasing Pork Consumption Among Adults in the United States

Objectives: Few studies assess the role of pork in sustainable diet patterns, as it is often aggregated with other animal proteins or excluded from analysis altogether. This study aims to fill that gap by modeling the sustainability impacts of replacing different protein foods with pork in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States (US).

Methods: Data on dietary intake, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), cumulative energy demand, water scarcity footprint, land, pesticides, fertilizer nutrients, food prices, and diet quality were obtained from publicly available repositories. A food substitution model was constructed to evaluate the change in each sustainability impact when 1-3 servings of beef, poultry, seafood, eggs, or legumes were replaced by pork.

Results: Modeled substitution of beef with pork was associated with reductions in GHGE, land, pesticides, and fertilizer nutrients by 15-36%. All other substitutions were associated with modest changes (approximately ±5%) in sustainability impacts.

Conclusions: The US federal government can help improve data collection methods that distinguish between pork and other meats. Enhanced data can facilitate further research to evaluate sustainability trade-offs, which will shape clinical practice and public policy to support informed food choices for consumers.

Funding Sources: National Pork Checkoff