The author of this paper analyzes data from a 2007 study by the Faunalytics and Survey Sampling, Inc. entitled Advocating Meat Reduction and Vegetarianism to Adults in the U.S. to test two hypotheses:

1). People who want to improve their health are more likely to reduce their meat eating than those who do not.

2). Men who wish to improve their health are more likely to reduce meat-eating than women who wish to improve their health.

The data supported both hypotheses. Fewer men than women are vegan/vegetarian, which the author attributes to cultural associations between masculinity and meat-eating. The author suggests that focusing on health benefits may increase the appeal of reduced meat eating to men, but cautions that consideration of animal suffering and rights, and questioning of masculinism are unlikely to result from this motivation. However, as long term veganism is often incremental, he concludes that healthfulness can still be a useful entry point to veganism/vegetarianism, provided new vegans/vegetarians are incorporated into a community where they are exposed to broader concerns of animal well-being.

[Abstract excerpted from original source.]

This paper considers what motivates people to reduce their consumption of other animals. Utilizing nationally representative survey data from the 2007 Faunalytics study, “Advocating Meat Reduction and Vegetarianism to Adults in the U.S.,” I find that individuals who desire a healthier diet are more likely than individuals who do not desire a healthier diet to reduce their meat consumption; and that, among respondents who reduce their meat consumption, the ratio of men who desire a healthier diet to men who do not is larger than that of women. These findings suggest that a discourse of veganism as healthful could enhance the capacity of advocates of veganism to connect with, accommodate, and influence a broad population of advocacy targets, including a particular population, men, who are less likely to practice veganism. These findings also suggest that a discourse of healthfulness could deconstruct the persistent relationship between meat consumption and hegemonic masculinities.

Unpublished paper shared with the author’s permission.