By IANS
New York : Here is more fodder for those who believe that men are from Mars and women from Venus. A new study says there are significant differences in their eating habits too.
Men were significantly more likely to eat meat and poultry products, especially duck, veal, and ham, said the study whose findings were presented Wednesday at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, Georgia.
They were also more likely to consume certain shellfish such as shrimp and oysters.
Women, on the other hand, were more likely to eat vegetables, especially carrots and tomatoes. As for fruits, they were more likely to eat strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples.
Women also preferred dry fruits, such as almonds and walnuts, and were more likely to consume eggs and curd when compared to men, says the study.
The findings are based on a study of over 14,000 American adults by the Food-borne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet).
There were some exceptions, however. Men were significantly more likely to consume asparagus and Brussels sprouts than women while women were more likely to consume fresh hamburgers (as opposed to frozen, which the men preferred).
The researchers also looked at reported behaviour regarding consumption of six risky foods: undercooked hamburger, runny or undercooked eggs, raw oysters, un-pasteurised milk or cheese made from it, and alfalfa sprouts.
Men were significantly more likely to eat undercooked hamburger and runny eggs while women were more likely to eat alfalfa sprouts.