Sex differences in the genetic and environmental underpinnings of meat and plant preferences

•Men and women differ in the heritability of childhood meat consumption (h2 = 0.31 versus 0.11, respectively).•Men and women differ in the heritability of current meat preferences (h2 = 0.26 versus 0.51, respectively).•Different genes underlie meat preferences in men and women.•Vegetarianism/veganism is 76% heritable.