How meat-based snacks became so popular thanks to gym bros

In recent years, meat-based snacks have become very popular, especially among fitness enthusiasts and those involved in nutrition on social media. In the United States, last year the "meat stick" industry reached a value of 3 billion dollars. In the UK, on the other hand, sales of dried meat have increased by about 40 percentage points since 2020, with a further increase of nearly 50% expected by 2027. Even in Italy, although the food culture is very different from that of Anglo-Saxon countries, there is a growth in the protein snack sector, with an increasing interest in meat-based products – especially among fitness enthusiasts. However, this growing spread is raising several questions regarding the health risks associated with processed meat consumption. Despite this, reports The Guardian, meat-rich diets have gained much popularity in recent years, especially on social media and in online environments related to the so-called "manosphere", the Internet galaxy made up of sexist and anti-feminist male groups. In these contexts, a diet almost exclusively based on meat is known as the "lion diet." Chris Van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People, an essay on the impact of processed foods on human health, warns consumers, noting in an interview with The Guardian that when fattier and sugar-rich products become representative of the entire meat snack category, people generally tend to choose less healthy products within this food category, thinking they are equivalent to the healthier versions.

Meat consumption is a notoriously divisive issue, and many people – especially if they are “alpha males” – react impulsively. For example, in 2021, Minister Alberto Garzón had urged his country's population to eat less meat, for health and environmental reasons. However, the video in which he explained the reasons for his appeal, citing reliable data, was heavily criticized. Meat, when you think about it, is part of the culinary traditions of many territories, and the respective industry is an important part of many economies, including Italy's. The most commonly used approach by institutions to improve people's eating habits is based mainly on informational campaigns, which offer suggestions on how to eat healthier. These are initiatives that do not limit individuals' freedom in any way, yet not only are they often attacked, but they rarely work. Reducing meat consumption is also one of the actions that individuals can take to counter climate change. However, many environmentally conscious people still continue to eat meat. This includes those who are aware that animals in intensive farming suffer enormously.

So, how can we convince people to eat less meat? According to researchers, one effective method could be to offer consumers more vegetarian options, while simultaneously removing the “temptations.” In the United States, for example, meat snacks are often placed near the checkout counters in supermarkets, where consumers are more likely to make impulsive purchases. Another way to discourage meat consumption involves the restaurant industry: dishes made with animal protein should be offered as an “alternative” to vegetarian dishes – not the other way around. If this approach were implemented in environments frequented by many people, such as schools, the educational component would positively influence the trend. An additional method could be to apply a tax on processed meat products, similar to what is already done in some countries for products high in sugar. However, such initiatives are usually not met with enthusiasm; nevertheless, experts argue that other policies considered unpopular in principle, such as the smoking ban indoors, were later appreciated by the vast majority of people.