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Men don't opt for the veggie dish when dining out at restaurants for fear of being ridiculed, fresh research claims.

That's even including those who don't like meat , and are unable to eat it for health reasons , the study found.

The research comes from the University of Southampton after a 12 month study of the subject called Man Food.

The research focused on sustainability from a social and cultural perspective in relation to animal and plant-based protein consumption practices, and addressing the reality that global eating habits are environmentally unsustainable.

It found that men find it difficult to pick a vegetarian or vegan dish from a menu due to them experiencing “social isolation” among friends after admitting to reducing their consumption of meat.

"We found that even men who don’t like meat, men who find it upsets their digestion, or have been asked by the doctor to eat less meat, still find it hard to choose the vegetarian option in public around other men," said lead researcher and associate professor in Human Geography at the University of Southampton, Emma Roe.

"As evidence shows that eating less meat is vital to a more sustainable future food supply, unpicking this strong cultural association between men and meat is an important aspect to global food security research."

The good news is that Roe says over a quarter of men are choosing to eat less meat, perhaps as part of the so-called "flexitarian" trend, or for other reasons such as health or environmental concerns.

(Image: Getty)

However, meat-reducing men are still in the minority, she adds, even amongst men who are more concerned about the environment and are actively thinking about and adopting more ethical and sustainable lifestyle choices.

"We held a discussion group with eight men who identified as ‘green men’, and found that even these men still want to eat meat, particularly around their male friends," said Roe.

"Some men told us that they experienced social isolation amongst groups of men after reducing their consumption of animal protein, and we found they valued socialising together as men and eating vegetarian and vegan food as a way of ‘normalising’ their choice."

So will eating meat become more socially acceptable for men in the future? Well, that comes down to permission, Roe explained.

"What we have discovered is that many men are interested in eating less meat, they just need social permission to do so – and as more and men make vegan choices, that permission is becoming more readily available."

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The Man Food research project brought together community partners with university researchers to explore questions around food and the environment – specifically in relation to men’s consumption practices.



"It is not about directly changing men’s behaviour," Roe added. "But rather about seeing if there are different ways in which men can relate to food that might benefit health, lifestyle, and the environment."

The Man Food research findings are to be presented to the Royal Geographical Society’s Annual International Conference this week.