Abstract
Background and objectives: Bolivia has experienced increased meat production and consumption in the past years, particularly due to importance of an emerging market, namely China, and a strong culinary tradition in which meat is the centrepiece of the meals. Bolivian animal protein production system is one of the most inefficient methods used worldwide from an environmental perspective. As climate change accelerates, it is important to identify potential drivers of a dietary shift towards more sustainable foods in countries like Bolivia, which are already facing the consequences of the climate-related disruptions in the food chain and will be further affected in the coming years. A dietary shift toward more plant-based diets seems to be the most sensible societal change to empower individuals to act in response to climate change. Our objective is to explore the effects of intention on dietary shift, as well as attitudes towards social, economic, and environmental sustainability on the perception that plant-based foods facilitate a sustainable healthy dietary transition. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, using online questionnaire filled in by a sample of voluntary respondents. Attitudinal data were obtained via seven-point Likert scales. Linear regression in agreement with the statement “plant-based foods facilitate a sustainable healthy dietary transition” was the dependent variable (mean 5.2 ± 1.7), and the attitudes towards social, economic, and environmental sustainability and intention to undergo a dietary shift were the independent variables; we controlled for sex and age. Data were analysed using SPSS v.28, and a p-value < 0.005 was considered significant. Results: In total, 303 people filled in the questionnaire, of whom 62 did not give consent to use their data, 18 provided straight line answers, and 90 provided inconsistent answers with regard to controlling variables. Therefore, 132 respondents’ responses were used, of whom 59% were women, with an average age of 25 y (±13), and 93% lived in the city of Cochabamba. After controlling for sex and age, significant positive associations were found for the intention to change their current diet and the statement that policies should promote social equity and progressive taxation, while a negative association was found with regard to the perception that policies should prioritise the wellbeing of people and the planet above those of the industry. Conclusion: the perception that plant-based diets can facilitate sustainable healthy dietary transitions in Bolivia mainly depended on how sustainability aspects were assessed by the respondents.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, F.J.A.P.-C. and R.V.-R.; methodology, All authors; software, J.-P.C.G. and I.M.; validation, J.-P.C.G. and I.M.; formal analysis, F.J.A.P.-C., J.-P.C.G. and I.M.; investigation, J.-P.C.G. and I.M.; resources, F.J.A.P.-C. data curation, J.-P.C.G., F.J.A.P.-C., and I.M.; writing—original draft preparation, F.J.A.P.-C.; writing—review and editing, F.J.A.P.-C.; supervision, F.J.A.P.-C.; project administration, F.J.A.P.-C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received no external funding. I.M. participated as part of an Erasmus Plus supported mobility grant at Umeå University.
Institutional Review Board Statement
The study did not require ethical approval as it was exploratory in nature, participants were volunteers and data was handled in anonymous manner.
Informed Consent Statement
Informed consent was obtained from all voluntary participants involved in the study.
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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