Pork is not only the most popular meat in the Western world and in Central Europe, it is also very popular in the Eastern and non-Muslim parts of India, Southeastern Asia (Indochina, Philippines, Singapore, East Timor) and in Malaysia. It is highly prized in Asian cuisines, especially in China, for its fat content and texture.

Pigs are the most widely eaten animal in the world, accounting for about 36% of meat production worldwide. As a result, large numbers of pork recipes are developed throughout the world. Jamón is the most famous Spanish inlay, which is made with the back legs of a pig. Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil (also served in Portugal), is traditionally prepared with pork trimmings: ears, tail and feet. According to the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, nearly 100 million metric tons of pork were consumed worldwide in 2006 (preliminary data). Increasing urbanization and disposable income has led to an uprising in pork consumption in China, where 2006 consumption was 20% higher than in 2002, and a further 5% increase projected in 2007. In 2015 recorded total 109.905 million metric tons of pork were consumed worldwide.:18 By 2017, half the world's pork was consumed in China.