Abstract
PurposeA reduction in meat intake is recommended to meet health and environmental sustainability goals. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an online self-regulation intervention to reduce meat consumption.MethodsOne hundred and fifty one adult meat eaters were randomised 1:1 to a multi-component self-regulation intervention or an information-only control. The study lasted 9 weeks (1-week self-monitoring; 4-week active intervention; and 4-week maintenance phase). The intervention included goal-setting, self-monitoring, action-planning, and health and environmental feedback. Meat intake was estimated through daily questionnaires in weeks 1, 5 and 9. The primary outcome was change in meat consumption from baseline to five weeks. Secondary outcomes included change from baseline to nine weeks and change in red and processed meat intake. We used linear regression models to assess the effectiveness of all the above outcomes.ResultsAcross the whole sample, meat intake was 226 g/day at baseline, 118 g/day at five weeks, and 114 g/day at nine weeks. At five weeks, the intervention led to a 40 g/day (95%CI − 11.6,− 67.5, P = 0.006) reduction in meat intake, including a 35 g/day (95%CI − 7.7, − 61.7, P = 0.012) reduction in red and processed meat, relative to control. There were no significant differences in meat reduction after the four-week maintenance phase (− 12 g/day intervention vs control, 95% CI 19.1, − 43.4, P = 0.443). Participants said the intervention was informative and eye-opening.ConclusionThe intervention was popular among participants and helped achieve initial reductions in meat intake, but the longer-term reductions did not exceed control.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04961216, 14th July 2021, retrospectively registered.
Highlights
Many motivations exist for individuals to reduce or stop their meat consumption, such as concerns about the environment, personal health, or animal welfare, as well as taste preferences [1]
The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an online self-regulation intervention, which aims to support individuals in self-monitoring their meat consumption, trialling different meat reduction actions, and reflecting on the usefulness and effectiveness of these actions based on self-monitoring and educative feedback
We conducted an individually randomised, two-arm parallel trial to test the effectiveness of the self-regulation intervention OPTIMISE (Online Programme to Tackle Individual Meat Intake through SElf-regulation) to reduce meat intake compared to a control condition
Summary
Many motivations exist for individuals to reduce or stop their meat consumption, such as concerns about the environment, personal health, or animal welfare, as well as taste preferences [1]. It is research highlighting the negative impact of meat production on the environment and of meat consumption on human health that has Kerstin Frie and Cristina Stewart these authors contributed to this work. The impact of meat consumption on both health and the environment is often underestimated [6], and providing this information has been found to boost intentions to reduce meat consumption [7]. Self-monitoring has been found to be effective in helping individuals reduce their meat consumption [7, 10, 11], perhaps because it highlights current consumption levels and
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