According to data presented in the illustrated version of SuperFreakonomics, over the last few decades, Americans have been consuming more chicken, slightly more turkey, less red meat, and fairly consistent amounts of pork. The decrease in red meat consumption is largely due to Americans’ recent perception of beef as a health risk.

Decrease in beef consumption over the past few decades has been linked to the growing public perception of beef as a health risk, as well as the connection between red meat consumption and heart disease. In addition, the growing number of women entering the workforce over this period also likely contributes to this downward trend, as beef takes longer than chicken to prepare and there is more widespread availability of cheap, and ready-to-cook poultry products. Also related, as the number of working women increases, household income increases as well, allowing more frequent dining out where meals are less likely to include beef than meals at home.