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Abstract Diets rich in plant-based foods are encouraged for human health and to preserve resources and the environment but the nutritional quality and safety of such diets is debated. This study aimed to model nutritionally adequate diets with increasing plant food content and to characterise the derived diets using a multicriteria approach including, nutrients intake, environmental pressures and exposure to pesticides. Using data of the NutriNet-Santé cohort (N = 29,413), we implemented stepwise optimization models to identified maximum plant-food content under nutritional constraints. Environmental indicators at the production level were derived from the DIALECTE database, and exposure to pesticide residues from plant food consumption was estimated using a contamination database. Plant-based foods contributed to 64.3% (SD = 10.6%) of energy intake in observed diets and may reach up to 95% in modelled diets without jeopardizing nutritional status. Compared to the observed situation, an increase in plant-based foods in the diets led to increases in soy-based products (+ 480%), dried fruits (+ 370%), legumes (+ 317%), whole grains (+ 251%), oils (+ 144%) and vegetables (+ 93%). Animal products decreased progressively until total eviction, except for beef (− 98%). Dietary quality (estimated using the Diet Quality Index Based on the Probability of Adequate Nutrient Intake) was improved (up to 17%) as well as GHGe (up to − 65%), energy demand (up to − 48%), and land occupation (− 56%) for production. Exposures to pesticides from plant-based foods were increased by 100% conventional production and to a much lesser extent by 100% organic production. This study shows that shifting to nutritionally-adequate plant-based diets requires an in-depth rearrangement of food groups’ consumption but allows a drastic reduction environmental impact. Increase exposure to pesticide residues and related risks can be mitigated by consuming foods produced with low pesticide input.

Abstract Objective: We aimed to explore the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and sustainable dietary patterns. Design: Dietary data were derived from a web-based FFQ. Diet sustainability was evaluated using a modified Sustainable Diet Index, comprising nutritional, environmental and cultural components (higher scores expressing higher sustainability). The socio-economic position markers were education, household income and occupation status. Multi-adjusted linear and Poisson regression models were used to assess the cross-sectional association of the markers of socio-economic status with a sustainable diet and sustainability subcomponents, respectively. Setting: France. Participants: 29 119 NutriNet-Santé participants. Results: Individuals with a more sustainable diet had slightly higher diet monetary cost, lower total energy intake and consumed less animal-based foods than their counterparts. Lower education level was associated with lower overall diet sustainability (β primary v. postgraduate = -0·62, 95 % CI (-0·72, −0·51)) and nutrition, socio-cultural and environmental subscores. Manual workers and employees had a lower modified Sustainable Diet Index than intermediate professionals (β manual workers v. intermediate professionals = -0·43, 95 % CI (−0·52, −0·33) and β employees v. intermediate professionals = -0·56, 95 % CI (−0·64, −0·48)). Participants with the lowest v. highest incomes had a higher environmental subscore but a lower socio-cultural subscore, whereas the results were less marked for occupational status. Conclusions: Overall, our results documented associations between socio-economic status and the level of diet sustainability, arguing for the implementation of appropriate food policies to promote sustainable diets at lower cost.

Abstract Background A shift toward more plant-based foods in diets is required to improve health and to reduce environmental impact. Little is known about food choice motives and associated characteristics of those individuals who have actually reduced their consumption of animal-based foods. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify change-inducing motives related to meat and legume consumptions among non-vegetarians. The association between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics was also studied. Methods This study included 25,393 non-vegetarian participants in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort (77.4% women, mean age 55.4 ± 13.9 y.). The motives related to the declared change in meat and legume consumptions (e.g., taste, environment, social pressure) were assessed by an online questionnaire in 2018. For each motive, respondents could be classified into three groups: no motive; motive, not change-inducing; change-inducing motive. Associations between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics were evaluated using multivariable polytomic logistic regressions. Characteristics of participants who rebalanced their meat and legume consumptions were also compared to those who reduced their meat but did not increase their legume consumption. Results Motives most strongly declared as having induced a change in meat or legume consumptions were health and nutrition (respectively 90.7 and 81.0% declared these motives as change-inducing for the meat reduction), physical environment (82.0% for meat reduction only) and taste preferences (77.7% for legume increase only). Other motives related to social influences, meat avoidance and meat dislike were reported by fewer individuals, but were declared as having induced changes in food consumption. Most motives that induced a meat reduction and a legume increase were more likely to be associated with specific individual characteristics, for example being a woman or highly educated for health motives. Conclusions Besides the motives reported as important, some motives less frequently felt important were declared as having induced changes in meat or legume consumptions. Change-inducing motives were reported by specific subpopulations. Public campaigns on health and sustainability could usefully develop new tools to reach populations less willing to change. Trial registrations The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03335644).

Many studies have demonstrated the environmental and health weaknesses of the food systems and the need for transformation is now recognised. Although some consumer segments seem to be more aware of sustainability issues, sustainable motives do not systematically translate into purchasing behaviour. The aims of this study were to identify a typology of dietary changes and to analyse whether these actual dietary changes towards more sustainable consumption during the years 2014–2018, (considering nutritional quality, plant-based foods and organic consumption) were related to a set of consumer food purchase motives measured in 2013.In the French NutriNet-Santé cohort, 13,292 individuals completed a food frequency questionnaire in 2014 and 2018 and a validated food purchase motives questionnaire in 2013, with a particular focus on sustainability. A typology was built to identify clusters using a Reduce Rank Regression (RRR) statistical model, with differences in food consumption as predictor variables and a set of dietary scores (reflecting nutritional quality, plant-based food and organic consumption) as response variables. Associations between dietary changes and food purchase motives were evaluated using ANCOVA.Participants with the most sustainable diet in 2014 and that has continued to improve over time (increased healthy plant-based foods and organic consumption) showed higher sustainable food-purchase motives. These were more often women, young and graduates. Participants with the lowest sustainable motives had at the same time a rather unsustainable diet and changed to a greatly improved diet in 2018. Participants with strong motives related to price, innovation and convenience showed a decrease in diet quality over time (increase in unhealthy plant- and animal-based food, alcoholic drinks, decrease in organic consumption). This cluster had the highest proportion of men, less educated and older than 65.Our results indicate that a part of the population was interested in sustainable food purchase and improved the sustainability of their diet over a short period of time. Some participants, with specific socio-demographic characteristics, were unaware of their diet's sustainability. Therefore, targeting awareness of food sustainability to a certain part of the population is essential.

Objective: We aimed to explore the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and sustainable dietary patterns. Design: Dietary data were derived from a web-based FFQ. Diet sustainability was evaluated using a modified Sustainable Diet Index, comprising nutritional, environmental and cultural components (higher scores expressing higher sustainability). The socio-economic position markers were education, household income and occupation status. Multi-adjusted linear and Poisson regression models were used to assess the cross-sectional association of the markers of socio-economic status with a sustainable diet and sustainability subcomponents, respectively. Setting: France. Participants: 29 119 NutriNet-Santé participants. Results: Individuals with a more sustainable diet had slightly higher diet monetary cost, lower total energy intake and consumed less animal-based foods than their counterparts. Lower education level was associated with lower overall diet sustainability (β primary v. postgraduate = -0·62, 95 % CI (-0·72, −0·51)) and nutrition, socio-cultural and environmental subscores. Manual workers and employees had a lower modified Sustainable Diet Index than intermediate professionals (β manual workers v. intermediate professionals = -0·43, 95 % CI (−0·52, −0·33) and β employees v. intermediate professionals = -0·56, 95 % CI (−0·64, −0·48)). Participants with the lowest v. highest incomes had a higher environmental subscore but a lower socio-cultural subscore, whereas the results were less marked for occupational status. Conclusions: Overall, our results documented associations between socio-economic status and the level of diet sustainability, arguing for the implementation of appropriate food policies to promote sustainable diets at lower cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]