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A new study led by researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), in partnership with Meat Free Monday (MFM), has found that social factors and dietary identity play a significant role in helping people reduce their meat consumption. The findings suggest that successful dietary change may depend not only on individual motivation but also on the social environments in which people live and eat. 

The research, led by Richard de Visser, Professor of Health Psychology from the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at BSMS, has been published in the journal Appetite.

Meat Free Monday is a global campaign encouraging people to go meat-free at least one day a week, using Mondays as a familiar starting point for positive behavioural change.

Building on previous collaborative research with MFM, which showed that people were more likely to change their diets when they engaged with the campaign over a longer period and made greater use of its online resources, the latest study examined what influences the number of meat-free days people achieve.

Researchers followed participants over a one-month period and found that longer involvement with Meat Free Monday continued to be associated with greater success in reducing meat consumption. However, the study also revealed a significant social influence: participants were more likely to have meat-free days if they did not live with people who regularly ate meat.

The findings underline the importance of recognising eating as a shared social activity and suggest that behaviour change initiatives should look beyond individual decision-making alone. Traditional approaches to promoting healthier or more sustainable diets often focus on personal choices, but the new research highlights how social relationships and living arrangements can either support or hinder change.

Professor Richard de Visser said: “Eating habits do not develop in isolation. Our findings show that the people around us can have an important influence on our ability to make dietary changes. This suggests there is real value in creating supportive communities that make it easier for people to adopt and maintain healthier and more sustainable diets.”

The study complements Professor de Visser’s wider research into behaviour change, including previous work on Dry January, which has similarly demonstrated the importance of social influences on health-related behaviours.

The researchers conclude that future public health and sustainability campaigns may benefit from placing greater emphasis on peer support, social networks and community-building. By creating environments where positive dietary choices are normalised and encouraged, it may be possible to help more people make choices that benefit animals, people and planet.

Read the full study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666326001170