Report

Fatty meat dominates the Danish diet

Danes eat more meat than recommended in the Official Dietary Guidelines, and fatty meat makes up the largest proportion. However, those who most often choose lean meat types are better at following the guidelines. This is shown in a new study from the DTU National Food Institute on how Danes’ choice of meat types and fat content relates to overall diet quality.

Picture of different kinds of meat — Meat consumption is 840 grams per week among adults who eat lean meat, while those who mainly eat fatty meat consume 990 grams per week. The recommendation in the Official Dietary Guidelines is 350 grams per week.

Thursday 21 May 2026

A new study from the DTU National Food Institute examines Danes’ consumption of beef, veal, pork, poultry, processed meat and cold cuts, and how the choice between lean and fatty meat relates to overall dietary quality. The results have been compared with the Danish Official Dietary Guidelines from 2021.

The study is based on the Danish National Survey of Diet and Physical Activity (DANSDA) 2021-2024. Data were collected following the launch of the new official dietary guidelines, which take both climate and health considerations into account. The Official Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming a maximum of 350 grams of cooked meat per week (red and white meat).

“We can see that adults who mainly choose lean meat eat less meat than adults who choose fatty cuts. At the same time, they are more likely to follow the dietary guidelines, whereas people who primarily choose fatty meat have a higher meat intake and tend to deviate further from the guidelines,” says Frida Viple, research assistant at the DTU National Food Institute.

Facts

Danes’ meat consumption is more than double the amount recommended in the Official Dietary Guidelines.
Pork is the most commonly consumed type of meat, accounting for approximately 44% of total meat consumption when fresh meat, processed meat and cold cuts are included.
The diet is dominated by fatty cuts of meat (74 grams/day compared to 34 grams/day of lean meat), while poultry is predominantly consumed in lean varieties.
Meat and meat products contribute around one-third of protein intake and approximately one-quarter of the intake of fat and saturated fat.
Meat is also an important source of vitamins and minerals, contributing, for example, around 40% of vitamin B12 intake as well as significant amounts of zinc, selenium, iron and phosphorus.
Meat intake is highest among young and middle-aged adults (around 130 grams/day) and lower among children and older people (around 100 grams/day).
Men eat significantly more meat than women (146 grams/day compared to 90 grams/day).
Adults who predominantly choose lean meat eat 15% less meat and follow the dietary guidelines to a greater extent than those who primarily choose fatty meat.
Adults who predominantly choose fatty meat are more likely to have a lower level of education (58% compared to 50%) and are more likely to smoke (18% compared to 12%) than those who primarily choose lean meat.

The study shows that around two-thirds of the population have a diet in which fatty meat (more than 10% fat) makes up the majority (at least 60%) of their meat intake, while one-third primarily eat lean meat (less than 10% fat).

People whose meat intake consists of at least 60% lean meat are defined in the study as “those who predominantly choose lean meat”.

Meat intake among those who predominantly eat lean meat stands at 840 grams per week, while those who predominantly eat fatty meat consume 990 grams of meat per week.

“The reason those who eat lean meat are closer to the dietary guidelines is that they eat more fish and have a higher intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and pulses,” says Frida Viple.

Meat choices are linked to lifestyle and sociodemographic factors

The study shows that the choice of meat type is not merely a matter of habits and preferences, but is also linked to lifestyle and sociodemographic factors.
Adults who predominantly choose fatty meat are more often men, are more likely to have lower educational attainment and smoke more frequently compared to those who predominantly choose lean meat.

Differences are also seen in household type, with those who predominantly choose lean meat being less likely to live in households with children.

“The results suggest that meat choices are closely linked to both lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. This underlines that changes in dietary habits are not only about individual choices, but also about everyday routines and social context,” says senior researcher Anja Biltoft-Jensen.

Men eat more meat than women

“Danes eat more meat than dietary guidelines recommend, but at the same time, meat provides protein and several important vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is not about removing meat from the diet, but about finding a better balance where we eat less – especially red, processed and fatty meat – while ensuring a diet with high nutritional value,” says Frida Viple.

Men eat more meat than women, with the highest meat intake seen among young and middle-aged men. Adolescents and young adults mainly eat beef and veal, older adults eat relatively more pork, while processed meat and cold cuts make up the largest share of children’s meat intake.

Meat contributes around one-third of protein intake and approximately one-quarter of fat intake, while also playing an important role as a source of, among other things, vitamin A, B12, zinc, selenium and iron. However, the contribution varies depending on the type of meat, its fat content and whether it is processed.

Fatty meat dominates the Danish diet

Meat choices are linked to lifestyle and sociodemographic factors

Men eat more meat than women

Read more

Contact