In wealthier countries with greater gender equality, men tend to eat more meat than women, according to a new study.
Researchers believe this trend occurs because people in these countries have more freedom to express their food preferences.
Christopher Hopwood, a psychology professor at the University of Zurich, and his team examined meat consumption differences between men and women in countries with varying levels of social and economic development.
They looked at factors like life expectancy, education, and income, as well as gender equality measures such as economic participation, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health.
The team analyzed survey data from 20,802 participants in 23 countries across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Participants reported their gender and how often they ate meat.
“Except for China, India, and Indonesia, men tended to eat more meat than women,” says Hopwood.
“The gap in meat consumption between men and women was larger in countries with higher gender equality and social and economic development. The biggest differences were seen in Germany, Argentina, Poland, and the United Kingdom.”
Hopwood concludes, “Higher levels of gender equality and development may give women more freedom to choose to eat less meat and may also allow men to buy and eat meat more often.”
These findings suggest that different strategies may be needed to encourage people to eat less meat in various countries.
For wealthier and more developed countries, providing more options for plant-based meat alternatives or cultured (lab-grown) meat might be effective. In contrast, offering incentives to produce these alternatives may work better in less developed countries.
The study is published in Scientific Reports and provides new insights into how gender equality and economic development influence eating habits.
By understanding these patterns, policymakers and health advocates can better design strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable diets worldwide.
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Source: University of Zurich.
