Older Consumers’ Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union

Alessandra C. Grasso; Yung Hung; Margreet R. Olthof; Wim Verbeke; Ingeborg A. Brouwer

doi:10.3390/nu11081904

journal article Open Access Aug 15, 2019

Older Consumers’ Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union

Alessandra C. Grasso

Yung Hung

Margreet R. Olthof

Wim Verbeke

Ingeborg A. Brouwer

Nutrients Vol. 11 No. 8 pp. 1904 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/nu11081904

Abstract

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a growing concern on account of an aging population and its negative health consequences. While dietary protein plays a key role in the prevention of PEM, it also plays a pivotal role in the environmental impact of the human diet. In search for sustainable dietary strategies to increase protein intake in older adults, this study investigated the readiness of older adults to accept the consumption of the following alternative, more sustainable protein sources: plant-based protein, insects, single-cell protein, and in vitro meat. Using ordinal logistic regression modeling, the associations of different food-related attitudes and behavior and sociodemographics with older adults’ acceptance to consume such protein sources were assessed. Results were obtained through a consumer survey among 1825 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or above in five EU countries (United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Finland). Dairy-based protein was generally the most accepted protein source in food products (75% of the respondents found its consumption acceptable or very acceptable). Plant-based protein was the most accepted alternative, more sustainable protein source (58%) followed by single-cell protein (20%), insect-based protein (9%), and in vitro meat-based protein (6%). We found that food fussiness is a barrier to acceptance, whereas green eating behavior and higher educational attainment are facilitators to older adults’ acceptance to eat protein from alternative, more sustainable sources. Health, sensory appeal, and price as food choice motives, as well as gender and country of residence were found to influence acceptance, although not consistently across all the protein sources. Findings suggest that there is a window of opportunity to increase older adults’ acceptance of alternative, more sustainable protein sources and in turn increase protein intake in an environmentally sustainable way in EU older adults.

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Details

Published: Aug 15, 2019
Vol/Issue: 11(8)
Pages: 1904
License: View

Authors

A

Alessandra C. Grasso

Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Y

Yung Hung

Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium

M

Margreet R. Olthof

Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

W

Wim Verbeke

Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium

I

Ingeborg A. Brouwer

Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Funding

European Commission Award: 678732

Cite This Article

Alessandra C. Grasso, Yung Hung, Margreet R. Olthof, et al. (2019). Older Consumers’ Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union. Nutrients, 11(8), 1904. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081904

Older Consumers’ Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union

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