Men tend to consume more meat than women if given the option.

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

Read also:

1. The study, published in the journal "Scientific Reports" from the University of Zurich in Switzerland, found that in gender-equal countries, men tend to consume more meat than women.
2. Contrary to the common belief, the researchers discovered that in wealthier, more gender-equal nations, women's meat consumption decreases, while men's remains high.
3. In the study, which surveyed over 20,000 people worldwide, the largest difference in meat consumption was observed in Germany, a country known for its food & drink culture.
4. The researchers, including Hopwood and Keil from the University of Zurich and Riera from another institution, noted that their sample size of 23 countries was modest, and further research is needed.
5. In many cultures, meat is often associated with masculinity, and this may influence men's choices more than women's, leading to higher meat consumption among men.
6. Women in Germany and other wealthy, gender-equal countries might consume less meat than expected, given their wealth and gender equality, according to the study.
7. This finding adds to the ongoing scientific discussions about the impact of gender equality on various aspects of society, including food & drink preferences and eating behavior.

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