Beef production is harmful to the environment through food chain inefficiencies and direct impacts of cattle. The consumption of beef is harmful to humans because of its natural composition and the way in which it is produced. Dispute from the meat industry over the health-risks of eating beef that have been coming to light parallels the response of the cigarette industry when the health-risk of cigarettes began to be recognized. The histories of smoking and beef eating are further similar in that they both were/are acceptable practices at Brown University, and unlike other risks in life, both products cause bodily harm when used as intended by their manufacturers.

In this thesis, I reason that Brown University's Food Services (UFS) and Office of Health Education have an opportunity and a responsibility to provide information and support to its students about the benefits of reducing their consumption of beef. The Transtheoretical Model, a psychological health behavior model, can be used to guide programs to take students from their current attitudes toward eating beef and realistically but not coercively move them closer to reducing their consumption of beef. The biggest challenge will be in moving the approximate 41 percent of students from precontemplation (denial) into seeing beef as an issue; a secondary one will be helping the 58 percent of students who have already reduced their consumption of beef to continue in their efforts to eat more healthily.

This thesis describes a number of potential action prescriptions and then narrows to the most feasible at this point in time, as discussed with UFS and the Office of Health Education: setting a goal for, and implementing, beef reduction education; improving the desirability of vegetarian options; reducing the amount of animal protein in new recipes; and offering personal nutrition assessment tools to students. Unfortunately, it seems currently unfeasible to reduce the amount of beef in recipes already used by University Food Services. Also, at this point in time, a mandatory outreach for incoming students about healthy eating in the dining halls is not a viable option.