Proper diet and nutrition. - Men tend to consume more meat than women if given the option.
Women typically eat meat less frequently than men, however, this trend isn't universally true for all countries. According to a study in the journal "Scientific Reports," the more developed the country and the greater the equality between genders, the bigger the difference in meat consumption.
This contradicts the common assumption that with increasing gender equality, gender differences would also decrease. In fact, research suggests that with more equality, differences tend to increase.
Hopwood and his team from the University of Zurich found that in countries with greater gender equality, people have more freedom to choose what they want to eat. This is because there's usually more money available, vegetarian options are abundant, and societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles is less. As a result, spouses at a shared meal might make different decisions.
Meat consumption becomes less common in countries with lower incomes because it's a more costly option. But when people can afford it and have the freedom to make their own choices, men, in particular, often opt for steak, sausages, and chicken. Women in wealthy, gender-equal countries may eat less meat than expected, considering the wealth and gender equality.
The researchers surveyed over 20,000 people from 23 countries online about their meat consumption habits. They discovered that in India, China, and Indonesia, there were minimal differences in meat consumption between men and women. The most significant distinctions were among the researched countries in Germany. However, the researchers note that only 23 countries were involved in the study, which constitutes a "modest sample size."
The reasons for meat consumption were not explored in the study. Nevertheless, the researchers believe that in many cultures, meat is linked to masculinity and potency. Vegetarian men may be less attractive to some people compared to meat-eating men. How often men eat meat may also depend on cultural norms.
References
- Hopwood, C., Keil, F., & Riera, J. (2020). How Gender Equality Influences Meat Consumption. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-8. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56307-2
