Barriers and benefits in the adoption of a plant-based diet

Summary

The health of the UK population is constantly being challenged with rising obesity in both adults and children. It is harder to main a healthy diet with the culture of convenience reducing the need for households preparing their own meals when they can order their favourite dishes and have them delivered to their home at the push of a button. However, there has been an increase in the popularity of plant-based diets and plant-based processed foods are becoming more easily available in supermarkets and online. Little is known about the nutritional quality of plant-based processed foods, their contribution to plant-based diets and acceptability.

The aim of this PhD study is to understand what the challenges are of adopting a plant-based diet by examining:

(i) differences in the perception of healthy eating amongst consumers with different dietary patterns and how it affects their food choice,
(ii) influences of psychological factors and the food environment,
(iii) attitudes towards plant-based diets and willingness of adopting more sustainable and healthy diets,
(iv) the nutritional quality of plant-based processed foods and their contribution towards a healthy diet.

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