Barriers to adopting a plant-based diet in various Finnish sociodemographic groups

Abstract Background According to nutrition recommendations, plant-based diets are favorable for both climate and health. However, the adoption of such diets varies between sociodemographic groups. Aims of this study are to examine how large proportions of the population have shifted towards plant-based diets to combat climate change, and to identify perceived barriers to dietary changes by gender, age, urbanization level, education, and household income. Methods The study is based on the Healthy Finland Survey conducted in 2022-2023, including 5390 participants (56% women) aged 20-74 years. Questions related to plant-based diet had pre-defined response options. Results Women reported that they had changed their diets to be more plant-based more often than men (46% vs. 31%). Women and men living in urban areas, having high education, or belonging to the highest income quartile had made changes more often than those in other sociodemographic groups. Women and men reported barriers in shifting to more plant-based diets, such as uncertainty about nutritional value (20% and 24%) and lacking skills to prepare tasty vegetarian food (30% and 28%). Disliking vegetarian foods (23%) or not being interested in the topic (28%) were also frequent issues in men, while women commonly cited the preferences of their close ones as preventing them from making vegetarian food (17%). These perceived barriers also differed between sociodemographic groups. For example, while uncertainty about nutritiousness of plant-based diets was most common in the oldest age group (29%), lack of skills to prepare tasty vegetarian food was most common in the youngest age group (35%). One third of men living in remote rural areas or with basic education reported not being interested in the topic. Conclusions Understanding barriers that prevent people in different sociodemographic groups from changing their diets to more plant-based is critical in tailoring more targeted and effective health promotion and policy. Key messages • Moving towards more plant-based diets to combat climate change and perceived barriers to dietary changes vary by gender, age, urbanization level, education, and household income. • Understanding barriers preventing people in different sociodemographic groups from changing their diets to more plant-based is critical in tailoring targeted and effective health promotion and policy.