New Study Latest To Find Men Favor High-Impact, Meat-Heavy Diets

A new study has indicated that meat-heavy diets are more common among men.

The study, which was published by Frontiers in Nutrition in August, aimed to explore “climate consciousness in relation to food” amongst young adults. The authors particularly focused on how climate-conscious food choices vary by activity level and gender, making it the latest to link meat-eating with perceived “manliness.”

The study included a total of 47 participants, 25 women and 22 men, with an average age of 28.6 years. This group also included followers of a variety of diets and lifestyles including omnivores, flexitarians, pescetarians, vegetarians, and vegans.

According to the study, all of the participants shared an understanding of carbon footprints and the climate impact of food choices. However, each person’s priorities differed significantly, and were partly dependent on their overall activity level and gender.

Sixty-four percent of the surveyed men were omnivores, and many demonstrated a strong preference for meat consumption. The majority of the men who were reducing meat intake at home reported doing so partly because they cohabited with a partner. The majority of the highly active demographic also favored animal foods, with about 68 percent self-described omnivores within that category.

Moderately active women showed the lowest carbon footprint overall, and made “climate-conscious choices” compatible with their energy needs and preference for plant-based foods. In general, the surveyed women’s food choices were more likely to be motivated by animal ethics and health concerns.

Meat-eating and masculinity

Photo shows a man grilling meat and vegetables on a BBQ — Adobe Stock Several studies have found a correlation between perceived masculinity and meat-heavy diets

Research published by the Journal of Industrial Ecology in 2021 found that men emit an average of 16 percent more greenhouse gasses (GHGs) than women, while another found that Australian men didn’t consider vegan diets to be “manly” enough for them. It is thought that up to 79 percent of US-based vegans identify as women.

A recent report from The Vegan Society found that around 41 percent of non-vegan men were interested in adopting a vegan diet, but that concerns around health and unsupportive friendship groups are putting men off trying it out.

“There is often an association between skepticism about adopting vegetarian lifestyles and traditional notions of masculinity, particularly in the context of meat consumption,” write the new study’s authors. “However, societal attitudes are shifting.”