According to a new study, some meat eaters are disgusted by meat. Scientists from the University of Exeter showed food photos to more than 700 people, including omnivores (eating meat and other foods), flexitarians (trying to eat less meat) and vegetarians.
About 7% of meat eaters (15% of flexitarians and 3% of omnivores) had a "quite strong aversion reaction" to images of meat dishes commonly eaten, such as fried chicken or bacon. As a group, omnivores rated meat images about twice as disgusting on average as images of carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, chips and rice.
Based on the findings, the researchers say harnessing the "yuk factor" may be more effective than relying on willpower for anyone wanting to eat less meat.
“We were surprised to find that so many people are annoyed by meat – even people who eat meat all the time,” said Elisa Becker of the University of Exeter. “Our results do not explain why these people eat meat, but it is possible that customs, family and cultural traditions all play a role.
“Meat consumption is increasingly seen as unsustainable, unhealthy and unethical, and many people want to eat less meat. “If you're trying to cut down on your meat intake, sheer willpower may not be enough - but tapping into the 'yuk factor' could be the way to go.”
The study's 711 participants — 402 omnivores, 203 flexitarians, and 106 vegetarians — each completed a survey and performed a quick-response task (measuring instinctual responses) to test their level of "meat aversion." The taste of meat was also measured. About 75% of the omnivores – and more than 20% of the vegetarians – showed a fairly strong preference for meat.
To be classified as "fairly strong" meat aversion, participants had to rate six meat images closer to "very much" than "not at all" on a sliding scale of aversion, and also had to prove meat aversion on the fast-response task.
Among flexitarians – the only group that tried to reduce their meat intake – meat aversion was a better predictor than self-control (measured in a separate questionnaire) of eating less meat. Meat aversion was also associated with reduced intake over the following six months.
“We hope this information can help us develop new interventions to help people reduce their meat intake,” said University of Exeter professor Natalia Lawrence.
“Not everyone wants to reduce their meat consumption, but for those who do, we are working on computing tasks that can help them harness the power of disgust in a fun way.
“It is important to note that our study does not establish a causal relationship – so further research is needed to find out whether meat aversion leads people to eat less meat, or whether avoiding meat causes these negative emotional reactions to develop or develop. be expressed.”
Becker added:“It is interesting to note that almost all of us experience meat aversion from time to time – for example, when we see unfamiliar meats or dishes made from parts of animals that we normally do not eat, such as squirrel meat or beef heart.
“People may have developed a certain degree of meat aversion, because eating rotten meat can be much more dangerous than eating a carrot that is slightly off the mark.”
