Do Financial Constraints, Perceived Food Insecurity, and Pro-Environmental Behavior Explain Intentions to Reduce Meat and Fat Consumption in Older Adults? A Preliminary Study

BACKGROUND: The consumption of meat and high-fat foods is constantly discussed, with attention to their health and environmental consequences, as well as the barriers to changing current behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine how pro-environmental behavior, perceived food insecurity, and financial constraints correlate with intentions to limit meat and fat consumption among older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 among 475 individuals aged 60 to 92 years. The questionnaire includes scales that enable the calculation of four scores: Meat Reduction, Low Fat, Perceived Food Insecurity, and Lack of Financial Support. Additionally, questions about involvement in pro-ecological behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics were included. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between perceived food insecurity, lack of financial support, and pro-environmental behaviors (independent variables) and intentions to reduce meat (Model 1) and fat (Model 2) (dependent variables). RESULTS: = 0.387). CONCLUSIONS: To better understand why experienced financial constraints did not influence the intention to reduce consumption of meat and high-fat products, further research is needed that focuses on motivation to change and the ability to change behavior among older people. Nevertheless, the results suggest that enhancing pro-environmental behaviors beyond those directly related to meat and fat consumption may facilitate reductions in meat and fat consumption through pro-environmental behavioral spillover.