Study Reveals That Social Support Could Make Eating Less Meat Easier
Adopting a healthier and more ethical meatless diet is often viewed as an inherently personal choice. While strong personal convictions may drive us to go meat-free, new research suggests that success in actually changing our dietary choices could be far less of an individual decision than we might suspect.
“By creating environments where positive dietary choices are normalised and encouraged, it may be possible to help more people make choices that benefit animals, people and planet,”
A study conducted by Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) revealed that successful dietary change may depend much more on the company we keep. In other words, living or socializing with meat-eaters could tank our ethical diet goals. “Eating habits do not develop in isolation,” Richard de Visser, Professor of Health Psychology at BSMS and the study’s lead researcher, said in a press release. “Our findings show that the people around us can have an important influence on our ability to make dietary changes.”
How to increase meat-free days
The research, published this month in the journal Appetite , was conducted in collaboration with Meat Free Monday (MFM) , a global campaign launched by Paul, Mary, and Stella McCartney to promote healthy eating and protect animals while slowing climate change. The campaign picked Mondays for meatless eating because they are habitually viewed as days to start afresh and undertake new endeavors. Researchers studied MFM participants over a period of one month to identify factors that influence the number of meatless days they achieved. They found that participants with the most successful meat-free diets had engaged with the campaign and received support from MFM for longer. The study also revealed the importance of social influence in changing our diet: participants who did not live with meat-eaters registered more meat-free days.
Significant findings
Traditionally, initiatives that promote healthier or planet-friendly eating have focused on changing individual choices. However, this study sheds light on how social relationships can positively or negatively affect behavior change. “There is real value in creating supportive communities that make it easier for people to adopt and maintain healthier and more sustainable diets,” said de Visser, who works in the Department of Primary Care and Public Health. De Visser has also conducted studies of the Dry January alcohol abstinence challenge, which similarly highlight the positive effect of social influences on reducing a behavior that can impact health, in this case, alcohol intake.
The MFM participant study built on findings from a previous one, also showing that people who had joined the campaign for a longer period of time and made significant use of its online resources were more likely to change their diet. Researchers from the latest study concluded that public health and environmental campaigns could be strengthened by focusing on care networks such as peer support and community-building. “By creating environments where positive dietary choices are normalised and encouraged, it may be possible to help more people make choices that benefit animals, people and planet,” states the press release.
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- Who: Meat Free Monday
