Short article that unravels conflicting data on meat consumption: Is it increasing or decreasing? The U.S. and Portugal are tied for highest overall meat consumption in the world. Chicken accounts for the largest portion of meat eaten in the U.S., while in Portugal, people prefer seafood. U.S. consumers eat an average of 82 pounds of beef/year, well above the global average of 19.8 pounds/year. Many Americans have swapped beef for poultry – which is why it tops the chart of most-consumed meat. Most meat in the U.S. – beef, poultry, pork — is raised in environmentally destructive, and largely unregulated CAFOs.