Humans are becoming MORE carnivorous: Global move towards a more meat-rich diet is driven by China and India's rising economies French researchers have discovered "significant" links between the World Bank's development indicators and the food humans eat A scientist from the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea estimated humanity's median trophic level was approximately 2.21 in 2009 The study found that overall, humans are closer to herbivores than carnivores but are eating more meat than 50 years ago Overall, humans are becoming increasingly carnivorous, but there are decreases in meat consumption in certain countries, the study said Across the globe, humans are eating increasing quantities of meat. The change to an increasingly carnivorous diet is driven by the fast-growing economics of China and India, scientists have said. French researchers have discovered "significant" links between the World Bank's development indicators and the food humans eat in different countries, to draw relationships between socio-economic, environmental and health conditions and changing dietary patterns. Overall, humans might be becoming increasingly carnivorous, but the study also found we cannot be considered apex predators. The research, which was published in PNAS, examines what people eat in different countries and claims to be the first study to calculate the trophic level of humans - a measurement in ecology that reveals our place in the food chain. Plants and algae are at trophic level one, as they create their own food, while herbivores are level two and animals which eat herbivores are at level three. Carnivores that eat smaller carnivores are at trophic level four, while carnivores with few predators, such as polar bears or lions, occupy level five. Sylvain Bonhommeau, a fisheries scientist at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea in Sète, who led the research, said humanity's median trophic level was approximately 2.21 in 2009. She told Nature: "We are closer to herbivore than carnivore. It changes the perception of being top predator. In the study, the scientists used the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation's data on 102 different foods to calculate humans' trophic levels for 176 countries each year from the 1961 to 2009 One - Plants and algae, which create their own food. Two - Herbivores such as rabbits...and humans, which the study said have an average trophic level of 2.21 in 2009. Three - Animals that eat herbivores, including foxes. Four - Carnivores that eat smaller carnivores, such as cod that eat fish. Five - Carnivores with few predators, such as polar bears or lions. As well as determining the trophic level of humanity, the study examines how people's eating habits have change. To do this, the scientists used the United Nations" Food and Agriculture Organisation's data on 102 different foods to calculate humans" trophic levels for 176 countries each year from the 1961 to 2009. They discovered that over the 50 year period, humans increased their consumption of fat and meat to move higher up the food chain, by 3 per cent or 0.06. While this might seem like a small change, an environmental scientist commenting on the study believes it is deceptively large. Thomas Kastner of Alpen-Adria University in Vienna told the publication that because a creature's trophic level is calculated by the sum of the trophic levels of food it consumes, a change of 0.1 means a predator near the top of the food chain - including humans - are actually consuming considerably more meat. People in China and India, who have traditionally eaten a lot of rice-based dishes, are becoming gradually wealthier as their countries have enjoyed a period of economic growth and have therefore seen 'marked increases' in their trophic levels as they eat more meat. Meat kebabs on sale at a stall in Old Delhi are pictured However, people in different countries are becoming more or less carnivorous. The scientists said: "We show that, although countries have diverse diets, there are just five major groups of countries with similar dietary trends." People in China and India, who have traditionally eaten a lot of rice-based dishes, are becoming gradually wealthier as their countries have enjoyed a period of economic growth and have therefore seen "marked increases" in their trophic levels as they eat more meat. However, in places including Iceland and Mongolia, where people have traditionally eaten a diet heavy on meat, fish and dairy, other food groups are now easier to obtain and the people living there are eating slightly less meat than before. The researchers believe their study will help scientists better understand the human impact on resource and energy consumption, which is especially important as the impact of producing meat is much larger than that of growing vegetables. Dr Bonhommeau warned that if humans increase our trophic level, we will "start to have a bigger impact on ecosystems. Sylvain Bonhommeau, a fisheries scientist at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea in Sète, said humanity's median trophic level was approximately 2.21 in 2009, putting it closer to the trophic level of herbivores like rabbits, than carnivores. 'It changes the perception of being top predator,' she said