Pro-environmental behavior predicts adherence to plant-based diets. Paper published in Appetite Journal.

Cooperation between University of Granada (UGR) and University of California (UCLA) has contributed to find new triggering factors for meatless dietary adherence. This has been made in search for the solutions for the current challenge of vegan and vegetarian dietary consistency. In other words, once people adopt vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, they find it difficult to stick to their meatless diet and actually incur in occasional meat consumption. There are many stressors that diminish vegan dietary consistency, however, we found that pro-environmental behavior uniquely predicts dietary adherence, both short and long term.

More details are provided below in the Abstract of the paper. Also you have available a free copy of this research. The download is limited until end of May (https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1cttxiVKTZimT ).

Abstract

Plant-based diets are beneficial to human health and environmental sustainability but suffer from low rates of adherence. For example, many people who self-identify as vegetarian sporadically eat meat and eventually give up their vegetarian diet entirely. We theorize that valuing a lifestyle of pro-environmental behaviors can enable people to adhere to a plant-based diet more successfully. In the current survey study, we tested this prediction among plant-based dieters for two outcomes: short-term adherence (for the past three days) and future-intended dietary adherence (intention to continue one's diet for the next 1–2 years). Over and above other dietary, motivational, and demographic factors, pro-environmental behavior positively predicted both short-term and future-intended adherence to plant-based diets. Moreover, pro-environmental behavior mediated links between (a) connectedness to nature and dietary adherence and (b) political ideology and dietary adherence. These findings highlight pro-environmental behavior as a tool for explaining and predicting adherence to plant-based diets.

Citation: Krizanova, J., Rosenfeld, D. L., Tomiyama, A. J., & Guardiola, J. (2021). Pro-Environmental Behavior Predicts Adherence to Plant-Based Diets. Appetite, 105243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105243

In conclusion, in order to strive in our relationship with ourselves and other living beings, we need to commit and stay honest with our actions. Active engagement in behavior that nurishes the planet will help us to succeed.