scholarly journals Effectiveness of a theory-informed documentary to reduce meat and animal-product consumption: Three randomized controlled experiments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya B Mathur ◽  
Jacob Peacock ◽  
Thomas Robinson ◽  
Christopher D Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Social Desirability ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Social Desirability Bias ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Product Consumption ◽  
Dietary Consumption

Background: Several exigent societal issues could be mitigated by shifting global consumption of meat and animal products toward predominantly plant-based diets. Methods: We conducted 3 randomized controlled experiments (n=217 to 574) to test the effects of a professionally produced and disseminated, theory-informed documentary that presents health, environmental, and animal welfare motivations for reducing consumption of meat and animal products. In Study 1, we primarily assessed participants' reported 1-week consumption of meats and animal products, as reported 12 days after random assignment to view the documentary or a control video. In Study 2, in a similar sample, we assessed effects on participants' immediate intentions to change their consumption of these foods, comparable to most past studies. In Study 3, we used the design from Study 1 but in a new sample anticipated to be more responsive to the messages; we also enhanced the intervention with activities designed to increase engagement with the documentary and to prompt concrete goal setting. In Studies 1 and 3, we introduced methodological innovations to minimize social desirability bias, a widespread limitation of past research. Results: The documentary did not decrease meat and animal product compared to the control video when potential social desirability bias was minimized (Study 1: -0.33 oz/week; 95% CI: [-6.12, 5.46]; p=0.91; Study 3: -2.46 oz/week; 95% CI: [-8.78, 3.85]; p=0.43). The documentary also did not affect reported meat and animal-product consumption among participants whose demographics suggested they might be more receptive to the intervention (Study 3). However, the documentary did substantially increase the percentage of participants who immediately intended to reduce consumption, consistent with past studies (Study 2) and prompted a majority of viewers to pledge to reduce or eliminate their consumption of at least one meat or animal product (Study 3).Conclusions: These findings suggest that past studies of similar interventions may have overestimated effects due to methodological biases. Novel intervention strategies may be needed to meaningfully shift dietary consumption away from meat and animal products.Trial registration: Study 1: https://osf.io/m3d2y/; Study 2: https://osf.io/etpvf/; Study 3: https://osf.io/n52yd/.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a Theory-Informed Documentary to Reduce Consumption of Meat and Animal Products: Three Randomized Controlled Experiments

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4555
Author(s):  
Maya B. Mathur ◽  
Jacob R. Peacock ◽  
Thomas N. Robinson ◽  
Christopher D. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Social Desirability ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Social Desirability Bias ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Intervention Content

Several societal issues could be mitigated by reducing global consumption of meat and animal products (MAP). In three randomized, controlled experiments (n=217 to 574), we evaluated the effects of a documentary that presents health, environmental, and animal welfare motivations for reducing MAP consumption. Study 1 assessed the documentary’s effectiveness at reducing reported MAP consumption after 12 days. This study used methodological innovations to minimize social desirability bias, a widespread limitation of past research. Study 2 investigated discrepancies between the results of Study 1 and those of previous studies by further examining the role of social desirability bias. Study 3 assessed the documentary’s effectiveness in a new population anticipated to be more responsive and upon enhancing the intervention content. We found that the documentary did not decrease reported MAP consumption when potential social desirability bias was minimized (Studies 1 and 3). The documentary also did not affect consumption among participants whose demographics suggested they might be more receptive (Study 3). However, the documentary did substantially increase intentions to reduce consumption, consistent with past studies (Studies 2 and 3). Overall, we conclude that some past studies of similar interventions may have overestimated effects due to methodological biases. Novel intervention strategies to reduce MAP consumption may be needed.

scholarly journals Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans - Companion to the Secondary Findings

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faunalytics
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Findings ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Product Consumption ◽  
Additional Detail

This document is a companion to the report, Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans: Secondary Findings. It provides additional detail about the frequency of consumption of animal products by lapsed vegans/vegetarians and various subgroups. It expands on three sections from the primary report: 1) Animal Product Consumption of Former Vegetarians/Vegans Who Avoid Beef & Pork; 2) Former Vegetarians/Vegans’ Animal Product Consumption Given Strength of Motivations; and 3) Differences Between Vegetarians and Vegans.

TRENDS IN CONSUMPTION OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN CANADA

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
LYNN STEWART ◽  
LINDA ROBBINS
Keyword(s):  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Animal Fats ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Poultry Products ◽  
Product Consumption ◽  
Food Consumption Data ◽  
Food Expenditure ◽  
Statistics Canada ◽  
Red Meats

Statistics Canada Apparent Food Consumption data (1963–1984) and Family Food Expenditure survey data (1974, 1978 and 1982) indicate that there has been a decline in consumption of certain animal products such as red meats, eggs, whole milk and animal fats. Generally, these are the foods consumers perceive to be relatively high in saturated fat and/or cholesterol. In contrast, apparent consumption of chicken, cheeses, partly skimmed milk, yogurt and vegetable fats has been increasing. Although health concerns have had a significant influence on animal-product consumption trends in Canada, there are many other factors underlying consumer behavior. Reasons for the observed consumption trends as well as possible implications for the marketing of animal products are discussed. Key words: Meat, beef, pork, fish, poultry products, dairy products

scholarly journals Accuracy of Risk Perception of Zoonoses Due to Intensive Animal Farming and People’s Willingness to Change Their Animal Product Consumption

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 589
Author(s):  
Mariëlle Stel ◽  
Janina Eggers ◽  
Stina Nagelmann
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Consumption Behavior ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Animal Farming ◽  
Product Consumption ◽  
Willingness To Change ◽  
Animal Farms ◽  
Animal Consumption

Zoonoses have become more frequent and intense. As intensive animal farming plays a role in the emergence of zoonoses, the increase in intensive animal farming increases the risk of future zoonotic outbreaks. This raises the question of to what extent people are aware that intensive animal farming poses a risk to zoonoses. Furthermore, if people would be made aware, would they be willing to take protective measures, such as reducing their animal food consumption? This was investigated in a representative descriptive study of 1009 Dutch citizens. We measured participants’ perception of the risk of intensive animal farming and their perception of the way animals are treated. We measured their willingness to consume fewer animal products and their opinions on governments banning intensive animal farms. Additionally, participants estimated the percentage of meat from intensive farms that they consume. The main results showed that most participants were aware that zoonoses can occur through intensive animal farming, but not where their meat comes from. The majority of participants were willing to change their animal consumption behavior if this could reduce future zoonotic outbreaks.

scholarly journals Interventions that Influence Animal-Product Consumption: A Meta-Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Grundy ◽  
Peter Slattery ◽  
Alexander K Saeri ◽  
Kieren Watkins ◽  
Thomas Houlden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Animal Product ◽  
Product Consumption ◽  
Meta Review ◽  
Portion Sizes ◽  
Overview Of Systematic Reviews ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Meta Analyses

Transitioning toward more plant-based diets can alleviate health and sustainability challenges. However, research on interventions that influence animal-product consumption remains fragmented and inaccessible to researchers and practitioners. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews, also known as a meta-review. We searched five databases for reviews that examined interventions that influence (increase or decrease) the consumption of animal products. We quantitatively summarised results using individual studies' directions of effect because reviews rarely reported effect sizes of primary studies. We also discussed the contexts in which the evidence for interventions appeared strongest in light of the broader literature on behaviour change. Eighteen systematic reviews met inclusion criteria, 12 of which examined interventions intended to decrease animal-product consumption and 6 of which examined interventions intended to increase animal-product consumption. In total, only two reviews conducted quantitative meta-analyses. Across all reviews, vote counting based on the direction of individual studies’ estimates indicated that providing information on the environmental impact of meat consumption may reduce consumption, with 10 of 11 estimates suggesting reduced consumption (91% [95% CI 62.3%, 98.4%]; p = .012). Providing information on the health consequences of meat consumption, emphasising social norms, and reducing meat portion sizes also appeared promising, albeit with more limited strength of evidence. Reviews examining interventions that decreased consumption predominately focused on meat (10/12 reviews). Future reviews should conduct quantitative syntheses where appropriate and could more frequently examine interventions that influence the consumption of animal products other than meat.

Collecting High-Quality Data

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Kay Gugerty ◽  
Dean Karlan
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Social Desirability Bias ◽  
High Quality ◽  
High Quality Data ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Demand Effect

Without high-quality data, even the best-designed monitoring and evaluation systems will collapse. Chapter 7 introduces some the basics of collecting high-quality data and discusses how to address challenges that frequently arise. High-quality data must be clearly defined and have an indicator that validly and reliably measures the intended concept. The chapter then explains how to avoid common biases and measurement errors like anchoring, social desirability bias, the experimenter demand effect, unclear wording, long recall periods, and translation context. It then guides organizations on how to find indicators, test data collection instruments, manage surveys, and train staff appropriately for data collection and entry.

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