The role of nutrition background on motivations, barriers, and adherence to a vegan diet: A qualitative study of the vegan eating habits and nutritional evaluation survey (VEGAN-EatS)

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the motivations, enablers, barriers and attitudes towards the vegan movement within people with distinct formal backgrounds in nutrition. To that end, a cross-sectional, qualitative study was conducted with two groups of vegan individuals: registered dietitians or undergraduate nutrition students (NUT) and non-health professionals (NHP). Participants filled out The General Knowledge on Nutrition Questionnaire and attended to focus groups, analyzed using MAXQDA software. Twenty individuals (NUT:7F,3M; NHP:9F,1M), with mean age of 32 ± 12 years, and 24 ± 4 kg/m² BMI were assessed. NUT presented a higher score of nutritional knowledge. Both groups were motivated by animal welfare and environmental concerns, although NUT group was also influenced by personal relationships, while NHP group highlighted seeking health benefits. Being enrolled in a graduate nutrition program was viewed as a tool to have access to resources, people and knowledge that supported their dietary decisions. NUT group demonstrated greater concern about food quality, choosing unprocessed foods, whilst NHP group demonstrated ethical concerns, preferring to consume from small producers and local businesses. Participant's perceptions were also influenced by their experiences and knowledge, with NHP believing that vegan diets are inherently healthier, while NUT attributed the improved food quality to vegans' careful attention to their dietary choices. Our findings suggest that while both groups share common motivations, their different depths of nutritional knowledge seem to have important impacts on their experience in adhering to a vegan diet, highlighting the critical role of seeking knowledge on nutrition in supporting sustainable vegan dietary practices.