Men are less likely to adopt a vegan diet compared to women because it is not considered masculine, according to a recent study. The study asked 539 participants to rate four vegan meals based on how suitable they were for men or women. On average, the meals, including a vegan burger, carbonara, goulash, and salad, were perceived as more appropriate for women to consume. However, the study suggests that incorporating more “red-blooded” language into vegan diets could make them appear less emasculating for men.
To test this theory, half of the participants were given more masculine descriptions of the food, such as calling a burger a “beast burger” or describing a goulash as hearty. The descriptions also included words like smoky, greasy, and juicy, emphasizing that the burger and carbonara came in large portions suitable for even the biggest appetite. Those who received the manly descriptions rated the vegan meals as less suitable for women compared to those who received neutral descriptions such as “creamy” and “delicious.”
This suggests that using more masculine marketing for vegan foods could make them appear less feminine. However, despite perceiving the meals as less feminine with masculine names and descriptions, participants still rated them as slightly more suitable for women than for men. Unfortunately, this did not increase their willingness to eat the vegan meals or perceive them as tasty.
Alma Scholz, the study’s lead author from the University of Würzburg, noted that men might be less inclined to consume vegan food due to the need to appear masculine. Scholz suggested that using even more masculine language to describe vegan food could make men more willing to try it. Currently, only 3.82% of men follow a vegan diet, compared to 9.4% of women.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Communication, used a rating system to assess the suitability of vegan food for men and women. A score of four indicated that the food was neither particularly suitable for men nor women, with higher scores indicating greater suitability for men and scores below four suggesting more suitability for women. When describing a burger using neutral terms, the average rating was 3.68. However, when more masculine language was used, the rating increased to 3.98, indicating that the meal was perceived as equally suitable for both men and women.
The study authors pointed out that meat is culturally associated with strength and masculinity, making it difficult to promote a vegan diet. Scientists emphasize that switching to plant-based alternatives that mimic meat can help alleviate environmental issues associated with livestock farming, such as methane emissions and deforestation. Researchers have also suggested that incorporating plant-based vegan products into public institutions like schools and prisons can drive wider adoption of these alternatives among the general public.
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