Abstract
Expert groups recommend that populations adopt dietary patterns higher in whole, plant-based foods and lower in red and processed meat as a high-impact climate action. Yet, there is limited understanding of populations’ willingness to adopt plant-rich dietary patterns. This study examined United States (US) adults’ perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors towards plant-rich dietary patterns and practices over a decade. Fifteen questions from the International Food Information Council’s Food and Health Surveys (2012–2022) were analyzed across four sustainability domains (i.e., human health, environmental, social, and economic domains). Most respondents had favorable perceptions of environmentally sustainable food and beverages, but sustainability influenced less than half of consumers’ purchase decisions. Plant-rich dietary pattern adherence increased across survey years (12.1% [2019] to 25.8% [2022], p < 0.001). One-quarter (28.1%) of Americans reported reducing their red meat intake over 12 months (2020-2022). Yet, another 15.5% reported greater red meat intake, and 18.8% reported greater plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) intake over 12 months. The percentage of respondents who reported greater red meat and PBMA consumption in the previous 12 months significantly increased across the years surveyed (2020-2022, p < 0.05). IFIC Survey findings highlight growing US consumer awareness of health, environmental, and social sustainability but low adoption of plant-rich dietary patterns and practices. Government leadership and coordinated actions by health professionals, civil society, and businesses are needed to educate and incentivize Americans to adopt plant-rich dietary behaviors, and greater industry transparency is needed to show how food and beverage products support human and planetary health.
Generated Summary
This study employed a secondary data analysis of the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) Food and Health Surveys conducted from 2012 to 2022. The research aimed to analyze U.S. adults’ perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors regarding plant-rich dietary patterns and practices, examining trends across four sustainability domains: human health, environmental, social, and economic. The IFIC surveys, based on a representative U.S. adult sample, included questions on plant-rich dietary patterns, sustainable food and beverage considerations, and related behaviors. The data were analyzed using cross-tabulation to assess trends and differences based on demographics like age (generational groups), gender, and household income. The study sought to identify how various sub-populations contribute to sustainable dietary transitions and understand the challenges and opportunities in promoting plant-rich dietary patterns.
Key Findings & Statistics
- From 2019 to 2022, the percentage of respondents following any plant-rich dietary pattern (vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, plant-based, flexitarian, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH]) more than doubled (12.1% [2019] to 25.8% [2022], p < 0.001).
- Younger consumers (Generation Z and Millennials) were more likely to follow a plant-rich pattern than older consumers.
- In 2022, nearly twice as many young consumers reported following plant-rich dietary patterns compared to 2019 (19.3% vs. 37.1%, p < 0.001).
- More than three times as many older consumers followed these dietary patterns (9.0% vs. 17.3%, p < 0.001).
- Vegetarian or vegan dietary pattern adherence varied between 3.1% (2021) and 6.1% (2022).
- Mediterranean dietary pattern adherence ranged from 4.3% (2021) to 5.8% (2020).
- DASH adherence was steady from 2019 to 2021 (1.9% average), before increasing to 5.5% in 2022.
- Flexitarian dietary pattern significantly increased across the survey years from 2.1% to 7.4% (2019–2022, p < 0.001).
- Plant-based dietary adherence increased from 4.0% to 11.8% (p < 0.001) in the same time period.
- Younger respondents were more likely to follow plant-based and flexitarian dietary patterns than older generations.
- Less than half of consumers (38.7% average) indicated that animal proteins were healthy (range: 34.9–42.8%), compared to more than two-thirds (73.5% average) that identified plant proteins as healthy (range: 69.4–75.4%).
- About one-quarter (24.1% average; 2019–2020) of respondents reported that they actively tried to consume animal proteins, while another one-quarter (23.3% average) tried to limit or avoid them.
- From 2020 to 2022, the percentage of respondents who reported eating somewhat or much more red meat in the past 12 months increased from 13.1% to 18.7% (p < 0.001).
- In 2020, respondents were more than twice as likely to report decreased (31.3%) versus increased (13.1%) red meat intake.
- By 2022, this gap substantially decreased, as the percentage of respondents who reported less red meat intake dropped to 27.1% compared to 18.7% who reported eating more red meat.
- On average, nearly one fifth (18.8%) of respondents reported increased PBMA intake in the past 12 months (2020–2022).
- The number of respondents who reported greater PBMA intake significantly increased (17.0% [2020] to 22.3% [2022], p < 0.05).
- In 2020, 24.4% of respondents who reported increased PBMA intake also reported increased red meat intake in the previous 12 months.
- By 2022, 41.0% of those who reported increased PBMA consumption had also increased their red meat intake over the same 12-month period.
- Younger consumers were more likely than older consumers to report greater PBMA intake (29% vs. 12% average, 2020–2022).
- From 2012 to 2018, sustainability was consistently ranked as the least important factor in US consumers’ food and beverage purchase decisions following convenience, price, healthfulness, and taste.
- On average, only one third of consumers (37.4%) believed that sustainability had a substantial or great influence on their purchase decisions (range: 34.2-42.6%, 2012–2018).
- In the 2019–2022 surveys, sustainability was re-phrased to “environmental sustainability”. Following this change, average consumer responses further declined to less than one third (31.8%) of respondents who indicated that environmental sustainability had a substantial or great impact on purchase decisions (range: 26.8–38.0%, 2019-2022).
- Women were consistently more likely than men to report that “sustainability” or “environmental sustainability” influenced their purchases over the 11-year survey period.
- More than 60% of US consumers, on average, indicated that healthfulness had a substantial influence on their food and beverage purchases (range: 59.4–70.7%, 2012–2022).
- The finding that consumers’ use of locally grown and organic labels to identify environmentally sustainable products decreased across years (2019–2022) is unexpected.
Other Important Findings
- Consumer awareness of health, environmental, and social sustainability is growing, but adoption of plant-rich dietary patterns remains low.
- Government leadership and coordinated actions by health professionals, civil society, and businesses are needed to educate and incentivize Americans to adopt plant-rich dietary behaviors.
- Greater industry transparency is needed to show how food and beverage products support human and planetary health.
- Consumers’ use of all environmental sustainability food labeling characteristics declined between 2019 and 2022.
- Women were consistently more likely than men to report that “sustainability” or “environmental sustainability” influenced their purchases over the 11-year survey period.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The cross-sectional nature of the surveys limits the ability to analyze changes in individual consumer behavior over time.
- Changes in question wording and response options across the IFIC Surveys limit the depth of statistical analyses.
- The representation of certain generational groups may be limited due to the sampling methods.
- The online survey administration may have excluded those with low digital literacy or limited internet access.
- The study’s capacity to analyze behavioral outcomes related to sustainability was limited by the absence of a specific conceptual framework for health behavioral change in the IFIC Survey questions.
Conclusion
The findings from the IFIC Food and Health Surveys highlight a growing awareness among U.S. consumers regarding the importance of sustainable food systems, encompassing health, environmental, and social considerations. However, a significant discrepancy exists between consumer awareness and the actual adoption of plant-rich dietary patterns and practices. While there’s a demonstrated interest in sustainable products, this does not consistently translate into purchasing decisions. Several factors may contribute to this gap, including a lack of awareness of specific dietary patterns, taste preferences, and the influence of convenience and price. The study’s results call for increased consumer education, particularly from nutrition and health professionals, to promote the benefits of plant-rich diets. Moreover, there is a need for coordinated efforts from various sectors, including industry, government, and civil society, to educate and incentivize consumers towards adopting these patterns. Transparency in the food industry is crucial, with a call for clear and standardized sustainability labeling to guide consumer choices. Policymakers can use taxation and subsidy strategies to encourage sustainable choices. Further research should explore the economic and social implications of sustainable diets to ensure they are accessible and equitable for all Americans. Ultimately, the study underscores the need for a multi-faceted approach that includes education, industry transparency, and policy interventions to foster widespread adoption of sustainable dietary practices.