Eating too much meat risks chronic disease, contributes roughly an eighth of human-made climate pollution, and has been linked to certain cancers. Yet red and processed meats remain stubbornly affixed to dinner plates - especially those belonging to men, presenting a distinctly masculine obstacle to tackling the climate crisis.
“In terms of pure consumption, there are very large discrepancies - and consistent discrepancies - between men and women in how much meat they consume,” says Lauren Camilleri, a social psychology researcher at Victoria University who investigates the connection between meat eating and masculinity.
The stereotype that men and meat are an inseparable pair is backed by research. A French study last year found motoring and eating habits led to a 26% emissions disparity between men and women. Other research shows that, even when adjusted for differences in energy needs, men still consume more meat than women. They are also more resistant to reducing meat consumption and adopting plant-based diets - unless deteriorating health or a veggie-sympathetic romantic partner forces a change.
The persistent theme: many men see meat eating as an expression of manhood, and view attempts to change their diets as a personal, even emasculating, threat. This likely stems, Camilleri says, from longstanding cultural and symbolic associations - the myths that meat is masculine, plants are feminine, men are hunters, women are gatherers, and real men eat meat.
But as the planet heats up, the need for men to shake up mealtime has never been greater. Australia’s dietary guidelines recommend whole grains and vegetables for more than half a person’s daily energy needs, and suggest a maximum of three servings from a food group containing lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes - for example, an egg for breakfast, a tin of tuna for lunch, and a 65g cooked lean steak for dinner. Many Australians - especially men - exceed that quota. September data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed two-thirds of Australian blokes eat meat, with more than half consuming at least 198g of meat products daily. Overall, the typical Aussie meat eater now consumes 13g more meat than a decade ago.
Excessive meat consumption carries health risks. “Animal products tend to be very high in saturated fatty acids,” says Dr Luigi Fontana, director of the Charles Perkins Centre Royal Prince Alfred Clinic in Sydney. He highlights multiple clinical trials linking saturated fatty acids to heightened LDL cholesterol, a major factor for cardiovascular diseases. Processed meat is considered carcinogenic; red meat is a probable carcinogen. Fontana also points to research showing animal products contain amino acids that enhance some ageing pathways and metabolites that increase stroke risk. “I’m shocked that despite this evidence … animal consumption has increased,” he says.
Then there’s the environmental toll: Australia’s agriculture sector accounts for almost a fifth of its total carbon pollution, with most agricultural emissions coming from livestock methane. Many advocates tout vegetarianism or veganism as solutions - diets that most substantially slash carbon footprints - but with many men drawing a sense of self from the cut on their plate, a more practical solution may be a flexible approach.
Last year, the EAT-Lancet Commission revised its Planetary Health Diet, a guide to high-health, low-environmental-impact nutrition. If universally followed, the diet could prevent 15m premature deaths and reduce cancer, chronic disease and neurodegenerative diagnoses. Meat is not excluded; it becomes the guest star. Seafood and poultry each get two servings per week, while beef, pork and lamb appear in a single weekly portion. For those wanting a more climate-friendly and health-positive diet, improvement is not an all-or-nothing equation.
“I don’t think you need to become a strict vegetarian,” says Fontana, who advocates for whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and small amounts of eggs and fish daily. The EAT-Lancet guidelines say red meat should be “as a treat reserved for weekly moments or special occasions”.
Dr Diana Bogueva, a social scientist at Curtin University who explores sustainable food consumption, says encouraging small steps is key. “We don’t need to be perfect,” she says. “If you do even small changes, this needs to be embraced.” Bogueva, Fontana and Camilleri also point to the importance of demystifying outdated ideas about plant-based eating - though shifting mindsets is a challenge. Meat-based protein is not essential to physical performance; just look at the plant-based diets of sporting champions such as Novak Djokovic, Lewis Hamilton and Kelly Slater. “Hegans,” as these high-performing athletes are sometimes called, help normalise low- to no-meat diets. Plants and grains are also cheap to grow and inexpensive to fill a grocery basket compared with a cut of beef.
Ultimately, even a simple switch from red to white meat, white meat to fish, or fish to a vegetarian dish could have tangible benefits for personal and climate health. “Small actions add up,” Bogueva says. “If climate-friendly diets are positioned as practical, satisfying and aligned with everyday priorities people have, then adoptions of different choices become much more natural, and much more sustainable.”