15 votes

Where’s the beef? Middle-aged, American men ate all of it

10 comments

  1. [6]
    Queef_Latifa
    Link
    It is bizarre that they are calling 50-65 years old as middle aged when the life expectancy of the people they are discussing in this article is mid 70's at best...

    It is bizarre that they are calling 50-65 years old as middle aged when the life expectancy of the people they are discussing in this article is mid 70's at best...

    21 votes
    1. [4]
      Between-Parentheses
      Link Parent
      From the study (as linked in the article): Excerpt from Table 1, Disproportionate Beef Consumption (>4 oz/2200 kcal): Age (Years) Yes (%) 18–29 11.0 30–49 11.9 50–65 14.8 66–80+ 10.3...

      From the study (as linked in the article):

      The strongest and most consistent predictor of disproportionate beef intake was
      gender. Men were more likely to do this, in both bivariate and multivariable models.
      In other bivariate results, the frequency of disproportionate beef consumers appeared to
      peak at 50–65 years (14.8%) and also among high school graduates (14.4%), and is lower
      among younger (18–29 years) and older (>65 years) consumers, college graduates, non-
      Hispanic Blacks, and non-Hispanic Asians.

      Excerpt from Table 1, Disproportionate Beef Consumption
      (>4 oz/2200 kcal):

      Age (Years) Yes (%)
      18–29 11.0
      30–49 11.9
      50–65 14.8
      66–80+ 10.3

      Disproportionate beef consumption appears highest Age 30–65 ("middle-aged"), with a 50–65 peak. That nuance isn't well conveyed by the article. The study does not define middle-aged.

      10 votes
      1. AugustusFerdinand
        Link Parent
        The study also has some odd age brackets: 11 year span, 20 year span, 15 year span, 15 year span. Can't say I'm surprised, it generally finds that minimally educated, white men, pre-retirement, in...

        The study also has some odd age brackets: 11 year span, 20 year span, 15 year span, 15 year span.

        Can't say I'm surprised, it generally finds that minimally educated, white men, pre-retirement, in the highest paid portion of their working life eat the most of the more expensive type of meat.

        7 votes
      2. NullEmotion
        Link Parent
        I come from a country where meat is consumed as an important part of our diet so I have to laugh everytime I read americans saying men eat more meat because of a "macho" culture. I personally am...

        I come from a country where meat is consumed as an important part of our diet so I have to laugh everytime I read americans saying men eat more meat because of a "macho" culture. I personally am "forced" to be a (mostly) carnivore because the only way to stop my IBS and inflamation symptoms is to eat almost no carbs.

        However in my n=1 experience I have known and dated many women that over time reduced their meat intake because they got tired of it. They didn't particularly care about veganism, animal rights or climate change, they just reduced their intake because they lost their appetite for meat. Maybe there's some biological reason this happens.

        5 votes
      3. All_your_base
        Link Parent
        I've always defined middle-age as when you suddenly gain 15 to 25 pounds for no reason and it won't go away. Old age, of course, is always 15 years older than you are.

        I've always defined middle-age as when you suddenly gain 15 to 25 pounds for no reason and it won't go away.

        Old age, of course, is always 15 years older than you are.

        3 votes
    2. Greg
      Link Parent
      I’ve heard people say middle aged means middle of adulthood, which made it make more sense to me that it’s always at least 40s rather than 30s, but yeah 50+ definitely sounds like a stretch.

      I’ve heard people say middle aged means middle of adulthood, which made it make more sense to me that it’s always at least 40s rather than 30s, but yeah 50+ definitely sounds like a stretch.

      7 votes
  2. [3]
    BeanBurrito
    Link
    I read about this a month or two back. One of the people responding in the comments wrote that there was a similar statistic about the alcohol consumed in the U.S.. About 10% of Americans consume...

    I read about this a month or two back.

    One of the people responding in the comments wrote that there was a similar statistic about the alcohol consumed in the U.S.. About 10% of Americans consume the lion's share of alcohol.

    13 votes
    1. [2]
      iBleeedorange
      Link Parent
      https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-top-10-percent-drink-way-more-than-you-think.html

      https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-top-10-percent-drink-way-more-than-you-think.html

      The tenth decile consumes 73.85 drinks per week. That's right, 73 drinks a week. Basically 10 drinks a day. Forget a glass or two of wine with dinner--you need to drink roughly two bottles of wine with dinner. Forget a couple beers--you need to pound down close to a 12-pack of beer every day. (Tell me your bladder and your wallet don't hurt just thinking about it.)

      The top 10% of drinkers account for more than half of all alcohol consumed in the U.S.

      18 votes
      1. BeanBurrito
        Link Parent
        Thank you. I wonder how much overlap there is between the 10% of power drinkers and the 12% of power beef eaters? :-)

        Thank you.

        I wonder how much overlap there is between the 10% of power drinkers and the 12% of power beef eaters? :-)

        6 votes
  3. BeanBurrito
    Link
    I know that several animal rights organizations target college aged people believing them to be the most open minded and with the resources to make big life changes. I don't think the groups with...

    I know that several animal rights organizations target college aged people believing them to be the most open minded and with the resources to make big life changes. I don't think the groups with really big college outreach programs were on campus back when these people were young. Maybe it is worthwhile to reach out to them. The U.N. states that livestock production contributes as much to the greenhouse effect as transportation and these people are buying the most meat.

    6 votes