Vanity Fair claims America’s ‘obsession’ with protein is tied to MAGA movement

Is the desire to eat a high-protein diet and the MAGA movement correlated? According to a report from Vanity Fair, it is. 

The May 1 article titled "Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Protein? "Blame MAGA," attempts to compare Americans eating a diet aimed at promoting muscle growth and longevity to MAGA, and the so-called "manosphere."

The piece claims that American "protein mania" has been building over the last few decades. Right off the bat, this is considered to be a part of the "manosphere," an umbrella term for sites and influencers that promote masculinity and anti-feminism.

The article begins with the claim of more men being interested in increasing protein in their diets. 

"I don’t have a good sense on what’s driving that right now, other than if it’s just the usual manosphere—or manomania, here in the United States," Pieter Cohen, an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance and associate professor, mentioned in the piece. Cohen made this claim because he said he had more male patients bring up the interest of increasing protein than women patients.

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He went on to claim that "everyone’s letting their testosterone out these days."

The article describes this interest in high-protein diets as a "lust for protein," and claims that men view certain food choices that have more protein as more masculine, citing a 2023 study. Additionally, the claim is made that men have used eating meat as a part of their "identity" in addition to feeling more masculine.

From there, the article attempts to explain how MAGA is related to this interest in protein. The article states that President Donald Trump is at the "helm" of the manosphere, and notes his love of burgers and locker room talk.

Additionally, in the piece, podcasters Theo Von and Joe Rogan were described as "playing a major part" in the election of Trump, who was a guest on their shows during the campaign. Rogan was mentioned for his support of eating red meat, during a conversation about the carnivore diet. 

The article mentions a study that makes the drastic claim that young men's appeal to protein powders and other supplements could lead to or be a "pipeline" to the use of anabolic steroids. 

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Neuroscientist, professor and podcast host Dr. Andrew Huberman is also mentioned in the article for his support of consuming a high-protein diet. Huberman has encouraged his listeners to approach protein and diet goals with a "balanced and comprehensive" approach to nutrition and obtain quality sources of protein. 

Fox News contributor Mary Katharine Ham reacted to this article on "The Will Cain Show" Tuesday.  

"If wanting a steak and prominent delts (deltoid muscles) is wrong, I don't want to be right." 

Ham said the left is "giving over" many things to the right, such as eating high-protein and lifting weights. Ham said the article "misses the story" and said eating protein is very good for you and argues that women are shifting their views to embrace the desire to eat more protein and lift weights to maintain muscle mass and support bone density. 

"It is not gendered, it is just good for you," she said.