The author, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, determined that meat consumption in America is increasing, but the rate has begun to slow down in the last few year, due to the fact that vegetarians now make up 5% of the population. In 2012, the average American consumed 75 pounds of red meat (beef, veal, pork, and lamb) and 57 pounds of poultry (chicken and turkey). In 2010, the USDA recommended 3.3 ounces—or 0.21 pounds—of meat per day of red meat, pork and poultry for the average adult on a 2,000 calorie diet. According to calculations, the average american eats more like 0.36 pounds of meat per day, or 150% times more than the daily recommended amount.
