IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i4p2199-d749734.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Psychological Barriers to Sustainable Dietary Patterns: Findings from Meat Intake Behaviour

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Eduardo Lourenco

    (Getulio Vargas Foundation—FGV EAESP, São Paulo 01332-000, SP, Brazil)

  • Nadine Marques Nunes-Galbes

    (Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo—FSP—USP, São Paulo 01246-904, SP, Brazil)

  • Riccardo Borgheresi

    (Getulio Vargas Foundation—FGV EAESP, São Paulo 01332-000, SP, Brazil)

  • Luciana Oranges Cezarino

    (BLISS Digital Impact, Venice Business School, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30123 Venice, Italy)

  • Flavio Pinheiro Martins

    (School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo—FMRP-USP, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
    School of Economics, Business Administration and Accountability, University of Sao Paulo—FEA-RP-USP, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil)

  • Lara Bartocci Liboni

    (School of Economics, Business Administration and Accountability, University of Sao Paulo—FEA-RP-USP, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil)

Abstract

Sustainable diets are patterns that change consumer behaviour towards more balanced and plant-based habits. This study investigates the effect of individuals’ predisposition to adopt sustainable diets while reducing meat intake by measuring their psychological proximity to meat. Using an online consumer-based platform, a cross-sectional survey collected responses from 497 individuals. Questionnaire items included 43 questions prospected from the literature, coded as practical and essential barriers and measured on a modified 7-point Likert scale. The results showed some paradoxes, as a high predisposition to adopt a sustainable diet coexists with a high predisposition to consume animal-based proteins. The main perceived barrier to adopting a plant-based diet was the enjoyment of eating meat, followed by the lack of information about plant-based diets. Barriers related to meat alternatives remained the highest above all the others. It confirms that, for local consumers, meat remains a usual option and is easier to prepare. When investigating the moderating effect of barriers on the predisposition to behaviours towards meat intake reduction, no effect was confirmed. However, we found a U-shaped moderating effect for plant-based meal increase, confirming the psychological proximity of the meat consumption effects under the lens of the Construal Level Theory and Transtheoretical Model. These findings call for further research on the effectiveness of measuring psychological barriers related to sustainable diet adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Eduardo Lourenco & Nadine Marques Nunes-Galbes & Riccardo Borgheresi & Luciana Oranges Cezarino & Flavio Pinheiro Martins & Lara Bartocci Liboni, 2022. "Psychological Barriers to Sustainable Dietary Patterns: Findings from Meat Intake Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2199-:d:749734
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2199/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2199/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valentina Gomes Haensel Schmitt & Mirza Marvel Cequea & Jessika Milagros Vásquez Neyra & Marcos Ferasso, 2021. "Consumption Behavior and Residential Food Waste during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, March.
    2. Janet Geipel & Constantinos Hadjichristidis & Anne-Kathrin Klesse, 2018. "Barriers to sustainable consumption attenuated by foreign language use," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 31-33, January.
    3. Angelo Corallo & Maria Elena Latino & Marta Menegoli & Alessandra Spennato, 2019. "A Survey to Discover Current Food Choice Behaviors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Giacomo Falchetta & Nicolò Golinucci & Michel Noussan & Matteo Vincenzo Rocco, 2021. "Environmental and Energy Implications of Meat Consumption Pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 2021.05, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    5. Richard Wood & Daniel Moran & Konstantin Stadler & Diana Ivanova & Kjartan Steen†Olsen & Alexandre Tisserant & Edgar G. Hertwich, 2018. "Prioritizing Consumption†Based Carbon Policy Based on the Evaluation of Mitigation Potential Using Input†Output Methods," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(3), pages 540-552, June.
    6. Giacomo Falchetta & Nicolò Golinucci & Matteo Vincenzo Rocco, 2021. "Environmental and Energy Implications of Meat Consumption Pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-22, June.
    7. Anthony Fardet & David Thivel & Laurent Gerbaud & Edmond Rock, 2021. "A Sustainable and Global Health Perspective of the Dietary Pattern of French Population during the 1998–2015 Period from INCA Surveys," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Alexa Spence & Wouter Poortinga & Nick Pidgeon, 2012. "The Psychological Distance of Climate Change," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(6), pages 957-972, June.
    9. Ruben Sanchez-Sabate & Yasna Badilla-Briones & Joan Sabaté, 2019. "Understanding Attitudes towards Reducing Meat Consumption for Environmental Reasons. A Qualitative Synthesis Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-38, November.
    10. Laura Blanco-Murcia & Mónica Ramos-Mejía, 2019. "Sustainable Diets and Meat Consumption Reduction in Emerging Economies: Evidence from Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-17, November.
    11. Marthe Austgulen, 2014. "Environmentally Sustainable Meat Consumption: An Analysis of the Norwegian Public Debate," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 45-66, March.
    12. Falchetta, Giacomo & Golinucci, Nicolò & Noussan, Michel & Rocco, Matteo Vincenzo, 2021. "Environmental and Energy Implications of Meat Consumption Pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa," FEEM Working Papers 309918, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    13. Mirza Marvel Cequea & Jessika Milagros Vásquez Neyra & Valentina Gomes Haensel Schmitt & Marcos Ferasso, 2021. "Household Food Consumption and Wastage during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Comparison between Peru and Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-22, July.
    14. Emma Moberg & Hanna Karlsson Potter & Amanda Wood & Per-Anders Hansson & Elin Röös, 2020. "Benchmarking the Swedish Diet Relative to Global and National Environmental Targets—Identification of Indicator Limitations and Data Gaps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, February.
    15. Patrice Rélouendé Zidouemba & Somlanare Romuald Kinda & Idrissa Mohamed Ouedraogo, 2020. "Could Covid-19 Worsen Food Insecurity in Burkina Faso?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(5), pages 1379-1401, December.
    16. Leiser, David & Azar, Ofer H. & Hadar, Liat, 2008. "Psychological construal of economic behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 762-776, November.
    17. Kalle Hirvonen & Alan de Brauw & Gashaw T. Abate, 2021. "Food Consumption and Food Security during the COVID‐19 Pandemic in Addis Ababa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(3), pages 772-789, May.
    18. Cristina Bianca Pocol & Valentina Marinescu & Antonio Amuza & Roxana-Larisa Cadar & Anda Anca Rodideal, 2020. "Sustainable vs. Unsustainable Food Consumption Behaviour: A Study among Students from Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Likhitha Marlapati & Amanda J. Kinchla & Alissa A. Nolden, 2024. "Conjoint Analysis Study to Examine Consumer’s Preferences for Hybrid Yogurt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-16, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peter Agamile, 2022. "COVID-19 Lockdown and Exposure of Households to Food Insecurity in Uganda: Insights from a National High Frequency Phone Survey," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(6), pages 3050-3075, December.
    2. Giulia Borghesi & Piergiuseppe Morone, 2023. "A review of the effects of COVID-19 on food waste," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 261-280, February.
    3. Catherine Graves & Katy Roelich, 2021. "Psychological Barriers to Pro-Environmental Behaviour Change: A Review of Meat Consumption Behaviours," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Janel Jett & Leigh Raymond, 2021. "Issue Framing and U.S. State Energy and Climate Policy Choice," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(3), pages 278-299, May.
    5. Albert, Osei-Owusu Kwame & Marianne, Thomsen & Jonathan, Lindahl & Nino, Javakhishvili Larsen & Dario, Caro, 2020. "Tracking the carbon emissions of Denmark's five regions from a producer and consumer perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    6. Yuru Guan & Jin Yan & Yuli Shan & Yannan Zhou & Ye Hang & Ruoqi Li & Yu Liu & Binyuan Liu & Qingyun Nie & Benedikt Bruckner & Kuishuang Feng & Klaus Hubacek, 2023. "Burden of the global energy price crisis on households," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(3), pages 304-316, March.
    7. Kalle Hirvonen & Bart Minten & Belay Mohammed & Seneshaw Tamru, 2021. "Food prices and marketing margins during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Evidence from vegetable value chains in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(3), pages 407-421, May.
    8. Adam A. Prag & Christian B. Henriksen, 2020. "Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-20, October.
    9. Agnieszka Gruszecka-Kosowska & Katarzyna Mazur-Włodarczyk & Agata Wódkowska, 2023. "Native vs. Unique Fruit Popularity: Exploring the Sustainable Fruit Consumption in Poland—Research Report," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-23, July.
    10. Felix J. Formanski & Marcel M. Pein & David D. Loschelder & John-Oliver Engler & Onno Husen & Johann M. Majer, 2022. "Tipping points ahead? How laypeople respond to linear versus nonlinear climate change predictions," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 1-20, November.
    11. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak & Agnieszka Wojewódzka-Wiewiórska, 2021. "Profiles of Food Insecurity: Similarities and Differences across Selected CEE Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    12. Lévay, Petra Zsuzsa & Vanhille, Josefine & Goedemé, Tim & Verbist, Gerlinde, 2021. "The association between the carbon footprint and the socio-economic characteristics of Belgian households," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    13. Florian Justwan & Bert Baumgaertner & Juliet E Carlisle & Emma Carson & Jordan Kizer, 2019. "The effect of trust and proximity on vaccine propensity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Liang-Chu Ho & Yu-Hsien Sung & Chia-Chun Wu & Pei-Shan Lee & Wen-Bin Chiou, 2020. "Envisaging Mitigation Action Can Induce Lower Discounting toward Future Environmental Gains and Promote Pro-Environmental Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-12, November.
    15. Pozharliev, Rumen & De Angelis, Matteo & Rossi, Dario & Bagozzi, Richard & Amatulli, Cesare, 2023. "I might try it: Marketing actions to reduce consumer disgust toward insect-based food," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 149-167.
    16. Stoeckli, Sabrina & Merian, Sybilla & Wanner, Silvan & Stucki, Matthias & Chaudhary, Abhishek, 2024. "Advancing Biodiversity Footprinting for Food-Related Behavior Change," OSF Preprints zpvq4, Center for Open Science.
    17. Hammond, James & Siegal, Kim & Milner, Daniel & Elimu, Emmanuel & Vail, Taylor & Cathala, Paul & Gatera, Arsene & Karim, Azfar & Lee, Ja-Eun & Douxchamps, Sabine & Tu, Mai Thanh & Ouma, Emily & Lukuyu, 2022. "Perceived effects of COVID-19 restrictions on smallholder farmers: Evidence from seven lower- and middle-income countries," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    18. Gebara, C.H. & Laurent, A., 2023. "National SDG-7 performance assessment to support achieving sustainable energy for all within planetary limits," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    19. Mabugu, Ramos E. & Maisonnave, Helene & Henseler, Martin & Chitiga-Mabugu, Margaret & Makochekanwa, Albert, 2023. "Implications of COVID-19 and mitigation measures on gender and the Zimbabwean economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    20. Austgulen, Marthe H. & Skuland, Silje & Schjøll, Alexander & Alfnes, Frode, 2015. "Consumer readiness to reduce meat consumptions and eat more climate friendly," 143rd Joint EAAE/AAEA Seminar, March 25-27, 2015, Naples, Italy 202757, European Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2199-:d:749734. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.