A study commissioned by medical journal The Lancet, has determined that meat-focussed diets could prove as damaging to human health as excess alcohol and tobacco use.

“Unhealthy diets pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than does unsafe sex, and alcohol, and tobacco use combined,” the study, titled Food in the Anthropocene, reads.

The study was carried out by over 20 food scientists, and recommends that people in developed countries such as Ireland drastically cut their beef, pork, lamb and potato consumption.

Irish beef and lamb consumption per person would need to be cut by 89% to meet the 7g per day recommendation, while potato intake should also be limited to just a quarter of a medium-sized potato.

The report recommends that people in developed countries replace their meat intake with soy, nuts and dry beans.

In response Meat Industry Ireland (MII), argued that Ireland’s grass-based beef farming meant it would be “counter-productive” to import food from less sustainable countries.

It also highlighted health benefits, pointing out that red meat is three times better at absorbing iron than plant foods.