A new study reveals that in countries where gender equality is improving, men tend to consume more meat compared to women. This trend is primarily observed in richer nations in North America and Europe, and is absent in less affluent countries like China, India, and Indonesia.

Researchers attribute this pattern to men in wealthier, more gender-equal societies having more autonomy over their meal choices, often opting for meat. The study suggests that increased wealth provides men with more opportunities to choose meat, rather than a decrease in meat consumption among women.

Christopher Hopwood, a psychology professor at the University of Zurich, led the study, which was published on June 13 in the journal Scientific Reports. The researchers began with the well-known statistic that men generally consume more meat than women worldwide.

To explore whether this gender gap in meat consumption narrows as gender equality improves, Hopwood's team analyzed survey data from 2021 involving nearly 21,000 individuals across 23 countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Participants reported their gender and meat consumption frequency.

Consistently, with the exceptions of China, India, and Indonesia, men ate more meat than women in most countries. Additionally, as average income levels increased in a country, so did meat consumption for both genders, which aligns with the fact that meat is more costly to produce and purchase compared to plant-based foods.

However, a surprising finding emerged: the gender gap in meat consumption widened in nations with greater gender equality. In wealthier countries with better gender parity, men tended to follow their preference for more meat, while women maintained or decreased their meat consumption.

The study was funded by Mercy for Animals, a nonprofit organization advocating for the end of animal agriculture. Hopwood's team suggests that efforts to reduce meat consumption should consider gender and gender identity, specifically targeting meat reduction among men