A new consumer survey from Coast Packing Company and Ipsos Research indicates that younger Americans are even more receptive to including animal fats in their diet than they were a year ago.

Affirming that changes in how we eat aren’t part of some food fad, a new consumer survey from Coast Packing Company and Ipsos Research indicates that younger Americans are even more receptive to including animal fats in their diet than they were a year ago — and are acting accordingly.

And millennials – those ages 18 to 34 — are not alone: overall, 13% of all survey respondents are open to animal fats, up from 9% a year ago, and 9% say their consumption has increased, compared with 6% in 2015.

Among millennials, attitudes have changed significantly. In this year’s study, 24% say they are receptive to animal fats, a marked increase over the 15% who held that position last year. In terms of what members of the youngest demographic are actually eating, it’s a similar story: 20% of millennials report having increased their intake of animal fats – a hefty jump over 2015, when that figure stood at 13%.

As in the original baseline study – conducted in November 2015 – this new survey of 1,000 adults examined how attitudes about animal fats in the American diet have changed in recent years, and how consumption patterns may be changing as well. Respondents were asked whether they were more or less open to animal fats, and whether those views extended to actual behavior. Coast Packing is the number one supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western United States.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, millennials are now the nation’s largest generation and include some 75.4 million people. 41% eat out at least twice a week, compared to 37% of Baby Boomers and a like number of Gen Xers, per a study from foodservice research firm Technomic. Millennials spend 15% more of their discretionary income on experiences than other demographic groups.

“This year’s results show both more openness to animal fat consumption and higher stated consumption of animal fats since the last time Coast and Ipsos posed these questions,” said Eric R. Gustafson, CEO, Coast Packing. “Clearly, healthy animal fats like lard and beef tallow are back, proving that last year’s survey was not an aberration. Everything old is new again, or so the expression goes. And that’s true in spades for one hugely influential segment of the population that may not quite remember the old days. In today’s foodie culture, taste is on par with health concerns — and nutritious animal fats deliver both.