Perceptions of healthy and sustainable eating: A qualitative study of Irish adults

Abstract

Current dietary patterns are unsustainable, for human and planetary health. A shift towards a more sustainable diet is urgently needed. Understanding public perceptions of healthy and sustainable eating may inform interventions to promote this change. This study aimed to explore Irish adults perceptions of healthy and sustainable eating. As healthy and sustainable eating may be understood as distinctive concepts, we examined each of them separately, before exploring the perceived commonalities between them. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adults from the Republic of Ireland (10 females; age range: 20-69 years). Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed three themes to illustrate participant’s perceptions of healthy eating: Theme 1) More ‘good’, less ‘bad’ (food categorisation); Theme 2) Getting the balance ‘right’; and Theme 3) Nourishing the body and mind; and two themes to capture their perceptions of sustainable eating: Theme 1) A sustainable food chain – from production to waste; and Theme 2) Sustainable dieting – what you should eat. Participants held multiple meanings for healthy eating. Although most initially described healthy eating in a manner consistent with official dietary guidelines, participants’ perceptions often extended beyond these health-focused recommendations. In contrast, most had a misguided understanding of sustainable eating, seeing it primarily through the lens of eating local food with less packaging. Only a few participants thought eating sustainably meant limiting certain foods, like meat. Although most participants felt there were ‘probably’ commonalities between a healthy diet and a sustainable diet, there were few consistencies in the examples they provided. These findings suggest a potential opportunity to enhance public awareness of sustainable diets. Moreover, they emphasise the need to promote the potential synergies between a healthy diet and a sustainable diet.