Association between religious affiliation, perception, and adoption of sustainable food practices among nutrition undergraduates: a cross-sectional study

To examine the association between religious affiliation with the perception and adoption of sustainable food practices among undergraduate nutrition students. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 63 students (mean age: 21 years; standard deviation: 3.8) enrolled in the Nutrition Bachelor’s program at a public higher education institution in a Brazilian capital city. All students enrolled in the 1st and 5th semesters who agreed to participate were included, with no additional exclusion criteria. Participants completed a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, income, gender, housing, religion), semester of study, sustainability literacy, food consumption, and willingness to adopt sustainable food practices. The instrument was adapted from previously validated questionnaires used in research on sustainable eating. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 25), applying descriptive statistics and Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test (p < 0.05). Among participants, 52 (82.5%) were female (mean age: 21 years; SD = 3.8) and 11 (17.5%) were male (mean age: 22 years; SD = 4.0). Students without religious affiliation (atheists and agnostics) showed a higher prevalence of vegetarianism and greater engagement with sustainability content on social media (p = 0.030) and protection for adopting sustainable food practices (OR = 0.812; IC95% 0.75–0.89). No significant associations were found between religion and sustainability perception or willingness to adopt sustainable practices. Likewise, no statistical differences were observed regarding semester of study, age, sex, or income in relation to sustainability literacy, food consumption, or willingness to engage in sustainable practices. Lack of religious affiliation was associated with greater engagement in sustainable food practices, while sociodemographic and academic variables showed no significant influence. The findings suggest that religious and cultural factors may shape sustainability-related behaviors, reinforcing the need to integrate ethical and sustainability perspectives into nutrition education and public health strategies.