A new survey found that nearly three-quarters of men would rather reduce their life expectancy by up to ten years than give up eating meat. This highlights the link between meat consumption and masculinity, which remains stronger when faced with a healthier dietary shift. The organizers of the Australian No Meat May survey hope their campaign will boost education and awareness about the benefits of meat-free lifestyles.
The No Meat May campaign challenges survey participants to eliminate meat during the 31 days of the month of May. This study finds that the unfounded concept linking meat consumption, masculinity and physical strength prevents men from trying a healthier and more sustainable diet.
With the participation of 1.000 adult participants in Australia, the survey found that 73% of men would rather reduce their life expectancy by 10 years than eliminate meat from their diet, while 47% of all women and men surveyed perceive meat consumption as a "manly enterprise".
That is, three-quarters of the men were not convinced of the health benefits of a meat-free diet, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
Science for many years has shown that eating meat and other animal products increases the risk of developing certain cancers, heart disease, obesity and having a reduced life expectancy, not to mention that it is one of the biggest contributors to global warming and the destruction of our environment.
In March, a landmark large-scale population-level study in the UK found an association between meat consumption and nine non-cancerous diseases, many of which were not considered in previous research, including pneumonia, diverticular disease, polyps of the colon and diabetes.
Meanwhile, plant-based diets are linked to positive health outcomes, and there is an inverse association between higher consumption of plant-based foods and mortality rates from heart disease.
No Meat May aims to reduce meat consumption
The No Meat May survey also asked participants about their views on climate change and found that as many as 81% say they actively care about the issue and the environment. However, 79% said they would not eliminate meat from their diets to help reduce their carbon footprint.
The questionnaire alarmingly shows that Australian men are unaware of any of these facts, do not believe them or simply do not care.
In light of these findings, No Meat May hopes to change the stigma surrounding meat-free diets with its campaign, which seeks to educate people about the multitude of health, planetary and animal welfare benefits of plant-based diets.
As part of its initiative, the non-profit organization provides support to participants who want to try a meat-free lifestyle, similar to the British campaign Veganuary , which has been very successful in promoting long-term dietary changes among its participants after completing the January challenge.