Structural transition of protein intake in urban China: Stage characteristics and driving forces

The rapidly growing animal protein demand of Chinese residents has caused multiple pressures, including on food security, health, and the environment. It is critical to study the reasons for the changes in Chinese residents' protein intake structure and make a reasonable judgment about its future trend. This paper uses the Nationwide Urban Household Survey Date from 1992 to 2009 to construct a pseudo panel and conduct research based on the habit formation theory. We find that there is a significant habit formation effect in the consumption of the main protein source foods of Chinese urban residents, especially animal foods. It weakens with the passage of time, which may be the reason for the continuous increase in urbanites' animal protein intake. There are differences in the protein intake structure and changing trend of urban residents in China's different regions. We suggest that government should pay more attention to the development of animal husbandry and the supply security of feed grains; strengthen nutritional intervention efforts to guide residents toward balanced and healthy dietary patterns, with moderate intake of animal protein; and formulate more detailed nutritional standards by region and population to cope with the impact of the growing animal protein demand among China's residents. [EconLit Citations: D12, E21, Q18].