Plant-based Meals Research Articles

Avoiding hedonic contrast to increase acceptance of healthy sustainable school meals

Abstract To promote sustainable eating in schools, new approaches for embracing plant-based (PB) meals are needed. Hedonic contrast (HC) describes how liking for one item is influenced by the recent experience of other items of different hedonic valence. Despite its established impact on liking, HC’s effect on intake, particularly in repeated exposure experiments, is limited. Moreover, its effect on food-related emotions remains largely unexplored. Hence, this study investigated how HC influences liking, emotions and intake of an innovative co-created PB dish, served as part of a course meal, at school in a repeated exposure study. Two groups of students (N (HC) =71, mean age=14.5 and N (control) =57, mean age=15.3) were served the same neutrally liked main PB dish (pumpkin stuffed lentils balls (LPA)) after a starter dish (rice with vegetables) which was altered in taste through seasoning and cooking methods to be more (HC) or less (control) tasty. The exposure was repeated once/week for 5 consecutive weeks. Liking and emotional responses for the dishes were recorded through a questionnaire and food consumption by weighting plate waste. HC led to lower liking (p = 0.037) and lower positive emotions (cheerful, pleasure) with high arousal (surprise) for LPA, while increasing negative valence emotions (disappointed). Moreover, LPA consumption was significantly lower in the HC group vs the control (45% vs 60% respectively, p = 0.040), resulting in lower protein intake in the HC group (p = 0.029). The effects of HC remained stable with time. This study, for the first time, reveals a sustained rise in food-related positive high arousal emotions, when foods are presented following less liked food. Since new foods evoking positive valence and high arousal emotions have higher chances to be appreciated than foods evoking positive valence and low arousal emotions, this work opens new perspectives on how to propose new, healthier and more sustainable PB dishes in school canteens. Key messages • Avoiding negative contrast between school meals is a promising strategy to ensure higher liking, intake and increased positive emotions over repeated exposure for innovative plant-based dishes. • To enhance adolescent’s acceptance and uptake of new plant-based dishes in school canteens, it is better to serve them after less tasty options.

MedDietMenus4Campus: Integrating Views from Nutrition, Marketing and Psychology to Improve Diets

Abstract Food service is an important setting for public health interventions, educating consumers and modulating behaviours through the meals provided. Social Marketing is one of the strategies designed to promote behaviour change, which contributions to health and well-being of consumers are widely recognised. This project aims to identify the compliance of food service menus with the Mediterranean Diet (MD) in public high education institutes (HEI) canteens, pinpointing opportunities to intervene, namely: 1) promoting changes in the food offer addressing proximity to the MD, creating, and offering plant-based meals, with seasonable and local food products and 2) developing tailored social marketing strategies to engage stakeholders to encourage healthier and sustainable food habits. It gathers a team comprised of nutrition experts on public health and food service, food technologists, gastronomy experts, psychologists, and marketers. To achieve the objectives researchers will: 1) develop an index to evaluate compliance of menus with the MD; 2) define priority stakeholders and define a methodology for engagement; 3) evaluate perceptions, barriers and facilitators; 4) develop a meal plan framework; 5) develop a new food concept “student bag” (meal on the go) and test it for industry scale-up; 6) use previous diagnosis to develop social marketing strategies directed to stakeholders and consumers to achieve food behaviour change and 7) measure the impacts of the implemented strategies. This research intends to create and implement a new healthy and sustainable food service concept, expecting to define the standpoint to inspire other food service settings to achieve an effective and sustainable food offer change and positively influence food service consumers’ food pattern towards Mediterranean recommendations, while addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (3 - good health and 12 - responsible consumption and production; 17 - partnerships for the goals).

The Role of Whole Food Plant-Based Food Intake on Postprandial Glycemia in Type 1 Diabetes.

Whole food plant-based diet (WFPBD), minimally processed foods with limited consumption of animal products, is associated with improved health outcomes. The benefits of WFPBD are underexplored in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The primary objective of this analysis is to evaluate the association between WFPBD on glycemia in individuals with T1D. Utilizing prospectively collected meal events from the Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative, we examined the effect of WFPBD intake on glycemia, determined by the Plant-Based Diet Index (PDI). The PDI calculates overall, healthful (hPDI), and unhealthy PDI (uPDI) to evaluate for degree of processed foods and animal products (i.e. WFPBD). Mixed effects linear regression model assessed time-in-range (TIR), time-above-range, and time-below-range. We analyzed 7,938 meals from 367 participants. TIR improved with increasing hPDI scores, conferring a 4% improvement in TIR between highest and lowest hPDI scores (high hPDI:75%, low hPDI:71%; p<0.001). Compared to meals with low hPDI, meals with high hPDI had lower glucose excursion (high hPDI:53mg/dL, low hPDI:62mg/dL; p<0.001) and less time >250mg/dL (high hPDI:8%, low hPDI:14%; p<0.001). These effects were present but less pronounced by PDI (high PDI:74%, low PDI:71%; p=0.01). No differences in time below 70mg/dL and 54mg/dL were observed by PDI or hPDI. Meal events with higher hPDI were associated with 4% postprandial TIR improvement. These benefits were seen primarily in WFPBD meals (captured by hPDI) and less pronounced plant-based meals (captured by PDI), emphasizing the benefit of increasing unprocessed food intake over limiting animal products alone.

Masculinizing plant-based diets as an appeal for dietary change among men

A significant body of research suggests that traditional masculine beliefs act as a barrier to reducing meat consumption and transitioning to a more ethical and sustainable food system. Here, we report a pre-registered experiment examining whether men who eat meat are more open to adopting plant-based diets when these diets are associated with traditional models of masculinity. A total of 1069 men who eat meat were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: a social media post with a plant-based meal featuring a male entrepreneur or a male bodybuilder (two experimental conditions), a social media post with a plant-based meal without a masculine model (social media post control condition), or a condition without any stimuli (no-information control condition). Both the entrepreneur and the bodybuilder were perceived as highly masculine, but these experimental conditions did not significantly affect participants’ perceived fit between plant-based eating and masculinity, nor did they affect tendencies to justify eating meat as necessary, attitudes toward plant-based diets, or willingness to adopt a plant-based diet. Nevertheless, the results supported previous research findings indicating that men who strongly identify as meat-eaters and those who consume more meat tend to perceive themselves as more masculine, feel more pressure from societal expectations to eat meat, justify meat-eating more strongly, view plant-based diets as less masculine, and are more negative about and less willing to adopt plant-based diets. Our findings raise questions about the “masculinization” of plant-based diets as a strategy for promoting dietary change among men.

Whole Food Plant-Based Dietary Education for Frontline RNs

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, with myocardial infarction (MI) being a serious outcome. Plant-based diets are associated with a reduced incidence of CAD. Registered nurses (RNs) are highly trusted members of the healthcare team and are ethically responsible for providing reliable information based on scientific sources and guideline-directed recommendations. Registered nurses are optimally positioned to provide education on adopting whole foods plant-based (WFPB) diets to patients experiencing CAD inside and outside the hospital setting. It is unknown the degree to which nurses have adopted WFPB eating patterns and incorporated WFPB patient education into routine nursing care. The purpose of this study is to describe RN perceptions (susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers, self-efficacy) related to the effect of a WFPB meal pattern for prevention and management of CAD, and RN intention to apply this dietary knowledge to their own health behaviors and nursing practices. Methods: This descriptive quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study measured concepts from the health belief model including RN perceptions of susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers, as well as self-efficacy and meal behaviors. The participating RNs completed these measures before and after they participated in any of the educational interventions designed using experiential learning theory. Registered nurses had the option of attending one or all three educational interventions on WFPB nutrition and CAD. Results: Eighty-six RNs working in cardiology specialties on three inpatient or one outpatient cardiac units at a large southeastern hospital system participated. The nurses believed CAD is a serious diagnosis (72/72) and that WFPB dietary patterns are cardioprotective for the prevention and management of CAD (63/72). However, nurse dietary behaviors were incongruent with their beliefs as some RNs (14/72) indicated they did not consume any vegetarian or fully plant-based meals. The most common barrier (36/72) to nurses adopting a WFPB dietary pattern was a taste preference for meat and animal products. Half of the eight nurses who completed at least one of the educational interventions and the postsurvey reported increased confidence to advise patients with CAD on the WFPB dietary pattern. Combined, participants self-reported their vegetarian or fully plant-based meal frequency increased slightly. Discussion: Registered nurses lack a working knowledge of WFPB eating patterns in their personal and professional lives, which may impact the quality of dietary education they provide to people with CAD or MI. Overcoming barriers to education on WFPB dietary patterns is important for increasing nurse confidence in teaching people with CAD about this evidence-based dietary health behavior. Conclusion: Registered nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of WFPB eating patterns may be enhanced through professional development activities. RNs may be more likely to engage with education that is frequent, brief, asynchronous, and online or part of existing onboarding such as lunch and learn events to sample WFPB foods. Future research is needed on strategies to engage and empower RNs to educate people with CAD on WFPB nutrition.

Academia's Role in Climate Action: Enhancing Awareness and Reducing Environmental Impact of Academic Events

A clean environment is vital for both population health and the well-being of our planet (Brusseau et al., 2019). In-person gatherings, like academic conferences, significantly contribute to carbon emissions that harm the environment, highlighting the importance of finding opportunities to reduce these emissions (Tao et al., 2021). Cognizant of the environmental cost of our annual national in-person research team gathering, our team sought to minimize the environmental impact of our 2023 gathering while raising awareness among team members. Our actions included using reusable tableware, composting food waste, and hosting an education session by the local environment office. Not only did our efforts increase awareness among gathering attendees about the importance of considering environmental impact reduction opportunities in their work, but they also catalyzed similar efforts at two national conferences. Our team took the lead in developing an evaluation of the environmental impact of each national conference and surveyed over 150 conference attendees. We collected demographic information, travel mode to the conference, and attitudes about environmental harms via a digital conference application. We also observed environmental actions implemented by event organizers and venue hosts. A carbon emission score and frequency distributions of attitudes surrounding the environment were calculated. Where possible, a food waste assessment was conducted. Findings showed that event organizers made efforts to minimize the environmental impact of their event by selecting a venue whose management was interested in collaborating; by encouraging attendees to carpool and use reusable water bottles; by serving plant-based meals, and by minimizing single-use products. Findings also revealed that most conference attendees consider it important to reduce the environmental impact of their professional lives. Given the value of face-to-face interaction in facilitating knowledge exchange (Chan et al., 2023), it is important that organizers continue to make efforts to reduce carbon emissions when planning events.

Role of postbiotics in food and health: a comprehensive review

ABSTRACT In the rapidly evolving gut and gastroenterological research field, postbiotics, a fermentation byproduct, are emerging as a cutting-edge alternative in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical environment. These functional bioactive components, which include muropeptides, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), teichoic acids, polysaccharides, cell-free supernatants, short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, bactericidal antibiotics, and vitamins, play an important role in immune system development. This review explores the intricate pathways through which gut microorganisms produce metabolites that contribute to the health-promoting properties of postbiotics. Postbiotics have a variety of appealing qualities, including anticancer, antibacterial, and immunological actions. Their multiple effects include influencing immunological responses, decreasing cancer cell growth, and preventing bacterial infections. Their presence in dairy and plant-based meals is noteworthy, as it provides a perfect matrix for fermentation and a varied range of antibacterial chemicals. This article delves into enhancing understanding of the concept of therapeutic properties of postbiotics in promoting human health.

Can the Necrophagous Blow Fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Be Reared on Plant-Based Meal?

The use of the blow fly Calliphora vicina as a potential pollination species to augment the current reliance on honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Australian horticulture requires knowledge of how best to mass-rear this fly species. Calliphora vicina lays eggs onto carrion soon after death, and the resultant larvae that hatch are necrophagous and feed on the decomposing tissues of the dead animal. Newly hatched larvae of this fly were provided with plant-based meals (soya bean and canola) and compared with larvae provided with livestock-derived meatmeal to determine if plant-based meal could be used to mass-rear this blow fly species. Both soya bean and canola meal media did not support larval survival through to adult emergence. The addition of only 10% whole egg powder to the plant-based meals enabled survival to eclosion of 39% and 13% on soya bean and canola-based media, respectively, compared with 76% on livestock-based meatmeal with 10% whole egg powder. Larvae fed a diet of livestock-based meatmeal with 10% whole dried egg powder had the fastest development to the pupal stage, the highest pupation rate, the heaviest pupae, and the highest subsequent adult eclosion. This study concluded that the use of plant-based meals as a diet for the mass-rearing of the blow fly C. vicina was not a viable option.

Exploring the impact of giving free food samples and loyalty cards on sustainable food choices: A stepped wedge trial in workplace food outlets

Free samples and loyalty cards are frequently used, but there is little rigorous empirical testing of their effects. We conducted a stepped wedge trial in 29 workplace food outlets to investigate their effects on sales of plant-based meals. Outlets were randomly assigned to three sequences that entered the intervention in the first, second, or third week of August 2022. Free samples of plant-based meals were given out in the first week of the intervention; loyalty cards were available throughout, entitling the bearer to a free meal after they had bought three. The intervention period ended in the last week of August for all outlets. The free meal could be redeemed until one month later. We did not find statistically significant effects of the interventions compared to the baseline period. Our process evaluation indicated that many participants preferred to eat their habitual meal or were unaware of the loyalty cards.

Protein and Leucine Requirements for Maximal Muscular Development and Athletic Performance Are Achieved with Completely Plant-Based Diets Modeled to Meet Energy Needs in Adult Male Rugby Players.

Rugby athletes consume large amounts of animal protein in accordance with conventional dietary guidance to increase muscle mass and strength. This misaligns with national dietary guidelines, which suggest limiting meat consumption for chronic disease prevention. The ability of completely plant-based diets to satisfy the nutritional needs of rugby players has not been explored. This study scaled nutrient data from a large population consuming completely plant-based diets with limited supplemental protein to meet the calorie requirements of adult male rugby athletes to assess whether protein and leucine recommendations for muscular development and athletic performance would be achieved. Calorie requirements were estimated from research that employed the doubly labeled water method, and dietary data from the Adventist Health Study-2 were scaled to this level. The modeled protein level was 1.68 g/kg/day, which meets recommendations for maximal gains in muscle mass, strength, and athletic performance. The modeled leucine level was 2.9 g/meal for four daily meals, which exceeds the threshold proposed to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis in young men. These results indicate that consuming large portions of completely plant-based meals can satisfy protein and leucine requirements for maximal muscular development and athletic performance in adult male rugby athletes while aligning with public health recommendations.

Optimizing Protein Food Sources Combinations To Achieve Protein and Nutrient Quality in a Plant-Based Meal

Optimizing Protein Food Sources Combinations To Achieve Protein and Nutrient Quality in a Plant-Based Meal

Students Use ChatGPT to Generate Plant-Based Meal Recommendations in an Introductory Nutrition Class

Students Use ChatGPT to Generate Plant-Based Meal Recommendations in an Introductory Nutrition Class

Changing the default meal option at university events to reduce harmful environmental impacts: Six randomized controlled trials

Animal agriculture is a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful environmental impacts, which underscores the need to shift away from the consumption of animal-based products. One promising nudge intervention is making plant-based meals the default option, so we tested this approach at six different university events across four academic institutions for effecting sustainable dietary change. Event attendees pre-selected their meal on one of two randomly assigned RSVP forms: one with a plant-based default and one with a meal with meat default. The results from our randomized controlled trial showed that participants had a 43-percentage point greater probability of selecting the plant-based meal when it was indicated as the default option. This effect was similar across events and academic institutions, which indicates that this default intervention is generalizable and can be successfully implemented at university events. The combined effect of using plant-based defaults at these six events was an estimated reduction of 104,387 kg of CO2 emissions, 299.9 m2 of land use, 959.0 g of nitrogen use, and 259.5 g of phosphorus use, which represent roughly 45–46.2% reductions in harmful environmental impacts relative to the meals chosen when using a meat default. Given the significance and magnitude of these environmental benefits, our results support the widespread implementation of plant-based defaults for helping universities improve their sustainability.

The Quality of Menu Offerings in Independently Owned Restaurants in Baltimore, Maryland: Results from Mixed-Methods Formative Research for the FRESH Trial.

(1) Background: Independently owned restaurants (IORs) are prevalent in under-resourced racial and ethnic minority communities in the US and present a unique setting for public health nutrition interventions. (2) Methods: We conducted 14 in-depth interviews with IOR owners in Baltimore about their perceptions of healthy food, and customers' acceptance of healthier menus and cooking methods and concurrent observations of the availability of healthy options on their menus. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Observations were analyzed with statistical analysis performed in R. (3) Results: Owners perceived non-fried options, lean proteins, and plant-based meals as healthy. While open to using healthier cooking fats, they had mixed feelings about reducing salt, adopting non-frying methods for cooking, and adding vegetables and whole grains to the menu, and were reluctant to reduce sugar in recipes and beverages. Only 17.5% of 1019 foods and 27.6% of 174 beverages in these IORs were healthy, with no significant differences in the healthfulness of restaurant offerings within low-healthy-food-access/low-income neighborhoods and those outside. (4) Conclusion: Healthy options are generally scarce in Baltimore's IORs. Insights from owners inform future interventions to tailor healthy menu offerings that are well-received by customers and feasible for implementation.

Social norms and young adults’ self-reported meat and plant-based meal intake: Findings from two online cross-sectional studies

Plant-based eating is beneficial for human and planetary health. It is important to identify factors which may encourage people to reduce meat, and increase plant-based meal intake. Perceived social norms are associated with meat and plant-based meal intake in adults, however, less is known about the relationship between perceived social norms and young adults' own self-reported meat and plant-based eating in general, and in different social contexts. Across two online studies we examined this. In Study 1 (n = 217 young adults, aged 18–25 years, mean age = 19.50 years, SD = 1.37 years, mean BMI = 24.21, SD = 5.45, 91% cisfemale, 92.0% omnivores), perceived descriptive (the perceived behaviour of others) and injunctive (the perceived approval of others) norms were measured in general. In study 2 (n = 151 young adults aged 18–25 years, mean age = 19.62 years, SD = 1.50 years, mean BMI = 24.32, SD = 4.99, 88.8% cisfemale, 71.1% omnivore), perceived descriptive and injunctive norms were examined in a variety of social contexts. In Study 1, perceived descriptive norms about friends were associated with self-reported meat, and descriptive norms about peers and friends, and injunctive norms about friends were positively associated with self-reported plant-based meal intake. In Study 2, descriptive norms about friends were associated with self-reported meat intake in fast-food restaurants and at friends' houses, and injunctive norms about friends were associated with meat intake in restaurants. There were no other significant associations between either type of social norm and meat or plant-based meal intake. We provide the first evidence that peers and friends may be relevant for plant-based meal intake, and only friends may be relevant for meat intake. Further research is needed to examine people's actual food intake, and in longitudinal studies to rule out reverse causality.

Abstract P477: Motivations and Barriers to Consuming a Plant-Based Diet: The EAT Plants 1 Study

Introduction: Consuming a plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, a vegetarian diet is considered a healthy dietary pattern according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and strongly aligns with the 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance. Yet, little is known about current barriers to adhering to this dietary pattern. Methods: Adults who were either currently consuming or interested in consuming a plant-based diet were eligible to participate in an interview to assess behavioral, normative, and control beliefs related to consuming a plant-based diet. Participants were recruited using flyers distributed via social media (Facebook), an e-newsletter, a farmer’s market, and on the Johns Hopkins University campus, and by word of mouth. Interviews were conducted in person or via videoconference in July and August 2023 with a semi-structured guide, audio recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo software. Results: The study sample consisted of 12 participants who ranged in age from 21 to 62 years, 58% were women, 75% were white, and 17% were Asian American. Participants self-identified as vegan, vegetarian, or consumers of other types of plant-based diets, and had been following this dietary pattern for a long duration, ranging from 2 to 38 years. Reasons for consuming a plant-based diet were related to ethics (animal rights), the environment (desire to reduce environmental impact of their diet), health (prevent or manage disease and to lose or maintain weight), and culture (being raised in a vegetarian community). Many participants mentioned being influenced by books they read to consume a plant-based diet. Participants were largely surrounded by supportive friends, family, and partners who prepared and consumed plant-based meals with them. Barriers to consuming plant-based diet were related to accessibility particularly when traveling and when eating out (restaurants, work events) and taste of certain plant-based foods. Meat and dairy alternatives were common components of plant-based diets. Conclusion: The factors that influence adherence to a plant-based diet are informative for promoting a heart healthy and environmentally low-impact dietary pattern, consistent with current dietary guidance.

Ethical consumption and food recovery hierarchy behaviors: a clustering analysis in Japan

AbstractConsumption and waste disposal decisions can have a profound impact on the environment. The present research is focused on understanding the adoption profiles of pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) within the Japanese population. The scope of the evaluated PEB covered the purchase, usage, and disposal of food products. Ethical consumption behaviors (the purchase of little packaging, organic, eco-friendly and/or refillable goods), food waste prevention actions (leftovers avoidance, meal planning, and food waste reduction/avoidance), and alternative disposal measures (feeding animals, composting, giving food to neighbors) were analyzed. The profiles were found via a two-step clustering technique using self-reported data from a survey done in nine Japanese prefectures. The first step of the clustering algorithm comprised a hierarchical technique, and the second was a K-means with an Euclidean distance. Four significantly distinct clusters were found, namely: sporadic adopters, average practitioners, responsible consumers, and environmentally involved. Approximately 51% of the sample was allocated to the responsible consumers cluster, which was characterized by having more women in part-time jobs or in-house duties and older respondents than the other groups. Environmentally involved tended to be young respondents with children and gardening/farming interest. They were also the ones who ate plant-based meals more frequently and had healthier eating habits.

Effects of pre-exercise intake of plant- and animal-based foods on arterial function and aerobic exercise capacity in healthy young men: a randomized cross-over trial.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of plant- versus animal-based food intake before exercise on arterial function and subsequent aerobic exercise capacity. Eleven healthy adult males (mean age, 22.6±1.8 years) participated in this study. A plant- or animal-based randomized meal type crossover comparison was conducted on separate days with a uniform protein, fat, and carbohydrate balance. Both carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity (faPWV), and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) were measured as indexes of aortic and peripheral arterial stiffness and vascular endothelial function, respectively, before and at 120min after the meal. After these measurements, maximal oxygen uptake was assessed using a graded power test on an electronically braked cycle ergometer. The results revealed that cfPWV was significantly lower, whereas FMD was significantly higher, at 120min after compared with before the plant-based meal (p=0.01 and 0.02, respectively). By contrast, cfPWV and FMD did not change at 120min after compared with before the animal-based meal. In addition, faPWV did not change at 120min after compared with before the meal for either meal type. Maximal oxygen uptake was higher in the plant- than in the animal-based meal type (p=0.02). These results suggest that pre-exercise plant-based food intake may improve central arterial stiffness and vascular endothelial function, which may have favorable implications for aerobic exercise capacity.

Individual Differences in Effective Animal Advocacy: Moderating Effects of Gender Identity and Speciesism

ABSTRACT The present research examined whether personality and individual differences have practical implications for effective animal advocacy (i.e., how effective an animal advocacy message is) by exploring whether individual differences in gender identity, social dominance orientation, and speciesism moderate the effects of advocacy. An online study was conducted employing an experimental design (advocacy vs. control condition). Four hundred and ninety-five participants (120 men, 375 women) watched either an advocacy video showing chickens suffering on a free-range egg farm or a control video (a lifestyle video showing the preparation of plant-based meals). Data were analyzed using MANOVA, ANOVAs, correlations, and moderated regression analyses. Results indicated that participants in the advocacy condition showed more positive attitudes toward chickens and less positive attitudes toward free-range eggs and stronger intentions to reduce egg consumption, compared with participants in the control condition. Importantly, whereas social dominance orientation had no moderating effects, gender identity moderated the effect of advocacy on attitudes toward chickens: Women, but not men, showed more positive attitudes in the advocacy condition compared with the control condition. Furthermore, speciesism moderated the effects of advocacy on attitudes toward free-range eggs and on intentions to reduce egg consumption: Participants low in speciesism expressed less positive attitudes toward free-range eggs and stronger intentions to reduce egg consumption in the advocacy compared with the control condition. These effects were weaker (attitudes) or nonsignificant (intentions) in participants high in speciesism. The findings suggest that some types of animal advocacy may work only for some people, but not others. The present research contributes to the understanding of the role that personality and individual differences play in human–animal relations and has relevance for practical efforts of animal advocacy to improve these relations, increase animal welfare, and reduce the use of animal products.

Nutrient composition of plant-based fast-food meals and their omnivore counterparts: A cross-sectional analysis of e-menus

ObjectivesFast food chains have introduced many plant-based meals to their menus. We aimed to compare the nutrient composition and allergenic content of plant-based (vegan or vegetarian) meals in fast food chains with their animal-based equivalents. MethodsE-menus from 50 fast food chains across 5 countries (Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK, and the US) were analyzed. Data on meal type, weight, calories, macronutrients, sodium, fiber, and allergen presence were gathered. Plant-based meals were matched with meat counterparts, where the latter shared the same meal type, originated from the same country and chain, and showed a weight difference of less than 10%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. ResultsFrom n = 2455 records, n = 1868 unique meals were matched. Plant-based meals showed lower odds ratios (OR) for protein (OR, 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08–0.14) and sodium (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55–0.90) and higher odds for carbohydrates (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.41–2.49), sugar (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.12–1.82), and fiber (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 3.60–6.63) compared with omnivorous meals, adjusted for country, meal type, and meal weight. Notably, plant-based and omnivorous meals were not associated with total caloric content. Separate analyses of vegetarian and vegan meals yielded similar results. Omnivorous meals more frequently contained allergens such as dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, and mustard, whereas plant-based meals more likely contained allergens such as sesame, seeds, and nuts. ConclusionsPlant-based fast food meals were more likely to contain more carbohydrates, sugar, and fiber and less protein and sodium than their animal-based counterparts. These findings emphasize the importance of informed food choices in the fast food context.