Meat consumption, particularly poultry, has increased dramatically in developing countries (e.g., China, Brazil), while red meat consumption has stagnated or declined in industrial nations.

There has been a considerable increase (62%) in the available food consumption of meat worldwide, with the biggest increases in the developing countries... China a dramatic ninefold increase in total meat consumption... Globally, however, a considerable amount of the increase in meat consumption may be attributed to the increase in poultry consumption worldwide. Beef is the one meat group that on a worldwide level showed no increase in consumption levels during this time.