Cross-national meat and fish consumption: exploring the effects of modernization and ecological context

Production and consumption of meat and fish have serious consequences for global food security and the environment. An understanding of the factors that influence meat and fish consumption is important for developing a sustainable food production and distribution system. For a sample of 132 nations, we use ordinary-least-squares (OLS) regression to assess the effects of modernization and ecological context on per capita meat and fish consumption. We find that ecological conditions in a nation, such as resource availability and climate, influence meat and fish consumption. Additionally, indicators of modernization, particularly economic development, influence the consumption of both meat and fish. However, the effect of economic development on consumption patterns is distinctly different among geographic regions. We conclude that in order to understand national dietary patterns, researchers need to take into account not only ecological context and economic development, but also regional/cultural factors. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.