Legumes and plant-based meat alternatives – their consumption and related beliefs across sociodemographic groups

Background and objectives: To improve human health and environmental sustainability, change in the dietary protein consumption from red meat to plant-based protein sources is needed. Current consumption of legumes and plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) are relatively low in Finland. However, there is a growing positive belief about plant-based protein sources among consumers, indicating an increasing interest in trying and integrating them into diets. To advance the development of new plant-based protein sources and to develop more effective and better tailored interventions to improve the consumption, beliefs about plant-based protein sources should be further studied. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to deepen the understanding of the relationship between different beliefs and consumption of legumes and PBMAs across sociodemographic groups. In addition, this thesis investigated whether sociodemographic factors moderate the associations between beliefs and consumptions. Materials and methods: Eight beliefs about plant-based protein sources as well as consumption of legumes and PBMAs were studied among Finnish adults (N=1000) who participated in the consumer survey conducted in 2020 as a part of the Leg4Life research project. Data was analysed with quantitative methods (descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, Kruskal-Wallis’s test, and logistic regression). Results: Older age was associated with more frequent legume consumption, but also with less frequent PBMA consumption. No gender differences in the consumptions were found. Higher education and better perceived financial status were associated with more frequent legume and PBMA consumption. Sociodemographic differences were also found within the beliefs about plant-based protein sources. Younger participants perceived them as more sustainable and evoking more positive images compared to the middle-aged participants. Women had in general more positive beliefs than men. Beliefs ‘tasty’ and ‘fulfilling’ were associated with more frequent legume consumption, while beliefs ‘sustainable’ and ‘evokes positive images’ to more frequent PBMA consumption. Significant interaction effects were found between certain belief variables and sociodemographic factors on the consumption of both legumes and PBMAs. Conclusion: The findings from this study revealed a notable gap between beliefs and actual consumption and demonstrate the complexity between sociodemographic factors, beliefs, and consumption patterns regarding legumes and PBMAs. Even though there are positive beliefs about plant-based protein sources, both legumes and PBMAs are still consumed relatively infrequently, indicating that these alternatives have not yet become fully integrated into dietary habits.