Sweden's central supervisory authority, tasked with protecting consumer interests in matters relating to food and healthy eating habits, has accused men of sticking to a meat diet for the sake of masculinity and urged them to “challenge the meat norm”.

The Swedish National Food Agency has sparked a hot debate with a contentious Twitter post, where it shamed boys and men for eating meat, which it suggested is unhealthy and environmentally unfriendly.

“Men and boys eat the most meat, which is not good for health and environment. How can the meat norm be changed? You don't have to eat a lot of meat to be masculine or build muscle”, the National Food Agency tweeted, adding hashtags like “sustainable food consumption”

Män och killar äter mest kött, det är varken bra för hälsan och miljön. Hur kan köttnormen ändras? Man behöver inte äta mycket kött för att vara manlig eller bygga muskler?#hållbarmatkonsumtion #hållbaramatvanor #klimatsmart — Livsmedelsverket (@Livsmedelsverk) 27 ноября 2019 г.

​However, many interpreted the government body's call to “challenge the meat norm” as uncalled-for activism.

“Yet a better suggestion: Kick all left-wing activists from the National Food Agency. Meat is excellent from both a health and an environmental point of view. Grazing livestock is of crucial importance for biodiversity. 'The climate threat' is a huge political scam. Unkind regards,” an angry user wrote back.

Bättre förslag:

Sparka alla vänsteraktivister på Livsmedelsverket ☭



Kött är utmärkt ur både hälso- och miljösynpunkt. Betande kreatur är bl.a av avgörande betydelse för den biologiska mångfalden. "Klimathotet" är en enorm politisk bluff.



Ovänliga hälsningar🖕 — Christian Wallgren 🇸🇪☨☩ (@chrwallg) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​“You really are the worst. Do you think men eat meat because it's 'masculine'? Are you really that retarded or are you just looking to provoke?”, another one wrote.

Ni är verkligen sämst. Tror ni att män äter kött för att "det är manligt"? Är ni lågbegåvade på riktigt eller är ni bara ute efter att provocera? — Jesper Jönsson (@Vargfakta) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​“Had I been prime minister, whoever wrote this tweet would have been kicked all the f***ing way to Finland. Alternatively, the entire authority. What the hell are you doing for MY tax money?” Pirate Party founder Rick Falkvinge tweeted.

Hade jag varit statsminister hade vem som nu skrev den här tweeten sparkats hela jävla vägen till Finland.



Alternativt hela myndigheten.



Vad i HELVETE håller ni på med för MINA skattepengar? — Rick Falkvinge (@Falkvinge) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​“What in the world is this? Government activism has spread from weapons and hunting-haters in the police to meat haters at the National Food Agency. Imagine the joy of being a Swedish meat farmer being met by something like this from the state,” another user mused.

Men vad i hela världen är detta? Har myndighetsaktivismen spritt sig från vapen och jakthatare hos polisen till kötthatare på Livsmedelsverket. Skoj det måste vara att vara svensk köttbonde och mötas av sådant här från staten. https://t.co/twqfdRGMuH — Stabsassistent 🇸🇪🏳️‍🌈 (@Stabsassistent) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​“Eat s**t!” yet another user retorted testily.

Ät skit. — David (@Davidlee650) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​The indignation reached even the country's political circles.

“What is this nonsense? Swedish meat is neither unhealthy, nor bad for the environment. Why should we pay for this kind of public lobbying via government bodies? Should this be an analysis? 'Meat norm' and masculinity? They are targeting children with their parents' money,” Edward Nordén of the Citizens' Coalition Party tweeted.

Vad är detta för trams? Svenskt kött är varken onyttigt, klimat-osmart eller dåligt för miljön.



Varför ska vi betala för den här typen av opinionsbildning via myndigheter? Skulle detta vara en analys? "Köttnorm" och manlighet?



Riktat till barn med deras föräldrars pengar. https://t.co/gsHPYLJWC6 — Edward Nordén (@Edward_Norden_) 2 декабря 2019 г.

​“Has your account been hijacked or have some of your employees tweeted from the wrong account? Or is this how the Swedish National Food Agency expresses itself now?” Moderate Party MP Lars Beckman tweeted incredulously.

Har ert konto blivit kapat eller har någon medarbetare twittrat på fel konto? Eller är det myndigheten Livsmedelsverket som uttrycker sig här? #svpol https://t.co/Djn7HEGfcq — Lars Beckman (@beckmansasikter) 3 декабря 2019 г.

​“Sure, there is no left-wing bias in the authorities,” Johan Ingerö of the Christian Democrats tweeted sarcastically.

​“It must feel real good to you to admonish ordinary people with their own tax money. Enjoy as long as it lasts. Because what you do doesn't only make people switch on the grill in protest. Fortunately, it also generates public opinion against opinion-forming authorities,” Sweden Democrat MEP Charlie Weimers tweeted.

Det måste kännas bra för er att mästra vanligt folk för DERAS EGNA skattepengar.



Njut så länge det varar.



För det ni gör får oss inte bara att vilja slå på grillen i protest. Det skapar lyckligtvis även opinion mot påbud från överheten i form av opinionsbildande myndigheter. https://t.co/NGFzZog9qJ — Charlie Weimers ن (@weimers) 3 декабря 2019 г.

​The National Food Agency later explained itself, tweeting that it didn't mean to urge all people to go vegan. “On the contrary, animals grazing on natural pastures are needed. But you don't have to eat meat to build muscle, there are many successful athletes who are vegetarians,” the agency wrote in self-defence.

Despite estimates showing that less than 10 percent of the Swedish population of over 10 million is vegetarian, the country's media have in recent years been heavily campaigning against meat consumption, which is seen as a climate burden due to its carbon footprint.

One of the leading figures of the nascent vegan trend, which is heavily promoted as sustainable eating is 16-year-old climate activist and media darling Greta Thunberg, who admittedly ditched animal products and convinced her parents to adopt a plant-based diet as well, using so-called “environmental guilt”.