The animal production sector is considered one of the important economic sectors, as it contributes about 35% of the value of agricultural production, which amounted to 1070 billion pounds in 2022, in addition to its role in providing animal protein necessary for human health. The research aims primarily to study the most important indicators and determinants of red meat production in Egypt during the period 2005-2022 by studying the development of the number of farm animals producing red meat in Egypt, the development of production and consumption, the average per capita share and the food gap of red meat in Egypt, and identifying the most important determinants of red meat production and the most important problems and obstacles facing red meat producers in the study area through published secondary data and the study sample in the Ameria area in Alexandria Governorate.

Results of the research:

The number of cows heads took a general decreasing trend with a value of about 0.029 thousand heads and an annual decrease rate of about 0.4%, at a morale level of 1%, while the number of buffalo heads took a general decreasing trend with a value of about 0.061 thousand heads and an annual decrease rate of about 0.8%, at a morale level of 1%, and the number of sheep heads took a general decreasing trend with a value of about 0.058 thousand heads and an annual decrease rate of about 0.7%, At a significance level of 1%, the number of goat heads took a general decreasing trend with a value of about 0.078 thousand heads and an annual decrease rate of about 1%, at a significance level of 1%, while the statistical significance of the amount of annual change and the annual growth rate was not proven at the usual significance levels for the number of camel heads during the study period.

The average annual domestic production of red meat was about 763 thousand tons, with a coefficient of variation of about 18% and an annual decrease rate of about 0.5%, at a significance level of 1%, while the average annual domestic consumption of red meat was about 1138 thousand tons, with a coefficient of variation of about 13% and an annual decrease rate of about 0.2%, at a significance level of 1%. The average annual food gap of red meat was about 376 thousand tons. While the average annual self-sufficiency in red meat was about 67%, the average annual per capita share of red meat was about 10 kg/year, with a coefficient of variation of about 20% during the study period.

Through statistical estimation of red meat production functions in the study sample, it was found that there is a direct, logical, economic and statistically significant relationship between the amount of red meat produced in tons as a dependent variable and the number of animal units, the average weight of the animal when purchased in tons, and an inverse relationship with the amount of dry filler feed in tons as explanatory variables for the model, and that these variables explain 97% Among the changes that occurred in the model, with regard to the first holding category of farms (less than 10 heads of cattle), while in the second holding category (10-50 heads of cattle), it was found that there is a direct, logical, economic and statistically significant relationship between the amount of red meat produced in tons as a dependent variable and the number of animal units, the average weight of the animal when purchased in tons and the amount of concentrated feed in tons as explanatory variables for the model, These variables explain 97% of the changes occurring in the model. For the third holding category (more than 50 heads of cattle), there is a direct, economically logical, and statistically significant relationship between the quantity of red meat produced in tons as the dependent variable and the number of animal units and the average weight of the animal at purchase in tons as explanatory variables for the model. These variables explain 97% of the changes occurring in the model.

Related to the results of the study, it recommends encouraging investment in livestock production projects, given the results’ low self-sufficiency in red meat. This requires expanding the local production base and reducing dependence on imports by providing appropriate investment incentives and improving the legislative and regulatory environment for this vital sector. Focusing on improving and developing local breeds with high production efficiency and expanding feed cultivation and improving veterinary services.

El-Seify, E.-H., El-Tatawy, N., Galal, R., & Mamdouh, R. (2025). Indicators and determinants of red meat production in Egypt: A case study of Al-Amreya region. Journal of the Advances in Agricultural Researches, 30(3), 355–365. https://doi.org/10.21608/jalexu.2025.421782.1283

Grounding our research in the symbolic self completion theory, we explored situations in which men are particularly motivated to consume meat and unconventional meat products, even when considered disgusting. We tested whether men compensate their experience of masculinity threat by opting for meat, including red meat, white larvae and offal. We also examined whether disgust towards products and their perception as feminine affect such decisions. In Study 1 (N = 247), men opted for more meat products when feeling self-incomplete in their masculinity. In Study 2 (N = 256), spicy edible larvae were preferred by men made to feel incomplete in their masculinity compared to those who felt complete, but the effect was significant only when considering the extent to which insects were perceived as disgusting and repulsive. Study 3 (N = 156) showed that preparing disgusting offal during a cooking course may compensate for feeling self-incomplete but only when it is not perceived as feminine. We discuss new research avenues and point to other boundary conditions that affect using various meat products in order to compensate for feelings of self-incompleteness in masculinity.

Poswistak-Jazweicka, I., Gollwitzer, P. M., & Byrka, K. (2025). Steak is not the only meat: Men opt for unconventional meat products when mitigating masculinity threat. Appetite, 108324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108324

Agricultural policy in Europe is the subject of extensive debate due to the unmet agri-environmental goals, despite high levels of support. For example, the public is critical of agriculture’s impact on the environment and animal welfare. At the same time, farmers protest due to low incomes and high bureaucracy. This apparent polarisation may hinder progress in agricultural policy reform, and a more nuanced understanding of the perceptions of both non-farmers and farmers is needed. This study systematically compares non-farmers’ and farmers’ preferences and levels of consensus across a comprehensive set of agricultural policy goals using surveys in Switzerland (N = 1668). We also assess the polarisation among farmers, non-farmers, and the entire population. We find consensus and polarisation in the perception of agricultural policy goals among Swiss farmers and the general public. Both prioritise domestic food production and farmers’ income as main policy goals. However, non-farmers put more emphasis on low food prices and agri-environmental goals than farmers. We find strong divides within the farming population, particularly regarding the need to mitigate climate change. Our analysis provides key insights for policymakers. Firstly, the broad consensus on different agricultural policy goals underlines the legitimacy of focusing on multiple objectives that support the multifunctional role of agriculture. Secondly, farmers are not homogeneous but have differing views, particularly regarding environmental objectives, especially those related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Policies need to take this heterogeneity into account, for example, by more efficient allocation of agri-environmental payments. Thirdly, while farmers and non-farmers generally agree on the importance of securing farmers’ incomes and food production, there are divergent views when it comes to reducing food prices and environmental impacts. Future agricultural policy reforms must find a balance between environmental goals and safeguarding farmers’ incomes, while also ensuring affordable food prices.

El Benni, N., Finger, R., Ammann, J., Irek, J., Kaiser, A., Ritzel, C., Wang, Y., & Mack, G. (2025). Aligning agricultural policy: Discrepancies between public and farmer priorities. Agricultural Economics (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 13(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-025-00402-5 

Global food companies in Japan recognize the need for improved animal welfare practices, but what kind of policies are these companies actually implementing, and are they actually making a difference in easing animal suffering?Animal Welfare Report 2025: Japan examines an urgent animal welfare issue—caging laying hens. By switching to cage-free systems, companies can lessen the pain of billions of birds.This inaugural report evaluates the state of cage-free initiatives* across Japan’s top global food companies, recognizing the companies’ efforts and identifying areas for improvement.

Mercy for Animals. (2025). Animal welfare report 2025: Japan. The truth about Japanese food companies and hen welfare. Mercy for Animals. https://mercyforanimals.org/japan-report/

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Shearer, J. K., Hempstead, M. N., & Plummer, P. J. (2025). Ensuring the welfare of ruminants during euthanasia, humane slaughter, and depopulation. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 41(3), 439–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2025.07.007 

The possibility that insects experience pain is a frontier question at the intersection of animal behaviour, comparative cognition, and philosophy of mind. Interest has been fuelled not only by anatomical discoveries but also by expanding behavioural and comparative evidence. Under leading frameworks, the most informative behavioural indicators of pain-like experience include flexible, targeted responses to harm that suggest more than stereotyped, reflexive withdrawal. Here we tested for such responses in the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), a species of both evolutionary and commercial importance. Using a fully blinded, within-subjects design, we applied either noxious heat, tactile contact, or no contact to a single antenna under both lower- and higher-stress environmental conditions and recorded subsequent grooming behaviour. Crickets were significantly more likely to groom the noxiously stimulated antenna, and did so for longer durations, than under control or tactile treatments. Grooming also showed a distinct temporal profile, with elevated activity sustained across the early observation period. Environmental condition and sex had no effect, indicating that self-protective grooming was expressed consistently across contexts and sexes. These findings provide robust evidence of flexible, site-directed self-protection in Orthoptera, addressing a key gap in the evidence base for pain-like states outside vertebrates. Such evidence strengthens the case for precautionary consideration of insect welfare, while also bearing on the broader scientific question of how felt experience is distributed across the animal kingdom.

Manzi, O., Lynch, K. E., Allman, D. M., Latty, T., & White, T. E. (2025). Flexible self-protection as evidence of pain-like states in house crickets. BioRxiv. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.12.675781v1.abstract

One of the most challenging decisions that veterinarians and animal owners face is whether to treat or kill diseased or injured animals. While this decision is hard in any setting, it is pronounced in the context of farm animals, where the sheer number of animals amplifies the frequency of such decision-making. In Germany, animal welfare laws protect both the well-being and the life of the animal. However, these two protected goods can become mutually exclusive at times, for instance, when the animal’s well-being has deteriorated or is assumed to be deteriorating to a point where it becomes questionable if an extension in lifetime is in the animal’s best interest. In such cases, where inaction is ethically and legally untenable, animal owners and veterinarians must make a decision that considers not only the medical circumstances but also the moral and legal demands of the situation, in addition to the sometimes-opposing interests of the different stakeholders (animal, animal owner, veterinarian). To address this problem, we developed a decision-making tool and visualisations that help navigate the ethical dimension of these decisions. These tools can serve as a means for reflection about one’s own decision-making. Moreover, results serve as a precursor for developing more ambitious and holistic decision-making tools aiming to provide practical, medically and ethically sound recommendations. Notably, the aim of our decision-making tool and the ethical analysis is not to replace the individual decision-making process of the animal owner or veterinarian; it is to supplement it by providing structure and perspective.

Messer, A., Nelke, A., Kunzmann, P., große Beilage, E., Kschonek, J., & Wendt, M. (2025). How to decide when the protection of life and welfare is no longer compatible with each other in a compromised animal: Ethical analysis of moral and legal demands. Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 38(4), 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-025-09962-4 

South Korea has implemented an animal welfare certification system for seven livestock species since 2012. However, the system faces limitations such as ambiguous assessment criteria, reliance on subjective judgment, and insufficient use of animal-based measures. Although some studies have investigated animal-based measures for farm animals raised in South Korea, their integration into the certification standards remains limited – especially in environmental management, where housing conditions play a critical role in determining welfare outcomes. This study discusses the limitations of environmental management assessment criteria in the animal welfare certification system for cattle and proposes directions for applying animal-based measures. Cattle are vulnerable to glare, contrast and ununiform lighting,  yet current certification standards specify only illuminance levels focused on worker comfort. Under such conditions, showed behavioral changes such as stopping, changing stride, increasing moving speed, avoiding obstacles, and hesitation in walking. Current air quality assessments are limited in scope and primarily rely on subjective sensory evaluations of the evaluator. Exposure to airborne pollutants can cause tearing, nasal discharge, coughing, and corneal ulcers in cattle, and further research is warranted to clarify the relationship between airborne pollutants and associated clinical symptoms in cattle. Temperature assessment relies on facility status and daily records, but the effect of the facility and the perceived temperature can differ even in the same environment due to various factors. Panting and shivering scores have been used in several studies as indicators of cattle’s physical responses to thermal stress, indicating a need for further validation for cattle breeds raised domestically. Cattle are also vulnerable to high-frequency, biological, intermittent, and sudden noises from inside and outside the farm; however, noise standards are not clearly defined in current certification criteria, leading to subjective assessments. Such noise exposure can provoke increased heart rate, agitation, freezing, milling, and refusal to walk, which can be identified through the pryer reflex. In this way, physical responses of cattle under different environmental management levels can be interpreted as indicators of discomfort with the housing environment. Applying animal-based measures to assess welfare levels for environmental management may increase the effectiveness of assessments through more accurate and objective criteria.

Mun, Y., Kim, S.-H., & Choi, N.-J. (2025). Implementation and improvement of animal-based measures for environmental management assessment items in animal welfare certification system. Animal Industry and Technology. https://doi.org/10.5187/ait.2500012 

Introduction: Risk assessment (RA) frameworks are increasingly being applied to improve the welfare of farmed animals. These frameworks have at their core, a logic chain linking welfare hazards (risks) with one or more welfare consequences which, in turn, are each measured by one or more welfare indicators. Effective and efficient monitoring of animal welfare often involves the selection of a subset of indicators from a large pool. Selecting ‘iceberg indicators’ could be advantageous due to their association with multiple welfare consequences. However, no standardised, data-driven method exists to select optimal combinations under practical constraints. This study addresses this gap by creating an algorithmic approach to optimise indicator selection.

Methods: The work was conducted in six phases: (1) construction of a structured database of welfare indicators; (2) a proof-of-concept study; (3) design of a greedy selection algorithm; (4) enhancement of the algorithm using branch-and-bound and backtracking methods; (5) performance and sensitivity testing, and (6) creation of two case studies. A dataset of 382 animal welfare indicators across seven farm species was compiled from scientific opinions published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and from other published literature. The EFSA scientific opinions contain data acquired through a rigorous process of literature reviews and expert elicitation and consensus panels to link welfare indicators with their associated welfare hazards and welfare consequences. To enable algorithm development, the Coverage of each welfare indicator was first determined by calculating the number of unique welfare consequences to which it was linked. Metadata such as the Impact of welfare consequence [Low (1) or High (2)], Ease of hazard mitigation [Easy (1), Moderate (2) or Difficult (3)], and Ease of indicator use [Easy (1), Moderate (2) or Difficult (3)] was generated through an expert elicitation process. These data were standardised using max–min normalisation across all criteria, and an objective function was defined which enabled indicator subset selection according to various user-defined criteria. Optimisation was performed using both a greedy algorithm and an enhanced algorithm incorporating backtracking and branch-and-bound solvers. Algorithm performance and robustness were evaluated through sensitivity analyses, scenario testing, and computational benchmarking.

Results: The greedy algorithm offered computational efficiency but incorporated suboptimal plateaus in Coverage as additional indicators were combined. The enhanced algorithm identified globally optimal combinations within 0.2 s for all species, regardless of problem size. In a broiler chicken case study, the enhanced algorithm removed indicators that were moderately difficult to use. A pig case study showed that the enhanced algorithm combined the same welfare indicators as the greedy algorithm but validated the added value of multi-criteria scoring by identifying high-impact, easy-to-implement indicators suitable for welfare certification.

Discussion: The enhanced algorithm was able to move beyond the selection of iceberg indicators, by incorporating multiple selection criteria to inform welfare indicator choice. The enhanced algorithm is data-agnostic and enables users to optimise indicator selection with diverse datasets spanning research, industry, and policy contexts. Its flexibility supports the development of tailored applications for different stakeholders. Future work should explore processes to determine weighting values, scenario testing, robustness, and stakeholder engagement to maximise both relevance and practicality.

Day, J., Ben Haddou, M., Kylling, R., Vasdal, G., & van de Weerd, H. (2025). Optimising the selection of welfare indicators in farm animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1661470 

The transition to open cage farrowing systems (also known as temporary crates) represents a pivotal advancement in improving animal welfare in pig production. This shift responds to increasing societal and legislative demands for more ethical livestock management. However, it introduces significant challenges for both farmers and animals, requiring a re-evaluation of traditional management practices. This study investigates the management of sows in open cage farrowing systems, focusing on welfare, productivity, and practical implementation. The key areas of exploration include housing design to balance sow freedom and piglet safety, addressing the behavioural and physiological needs of sows, and mitigating health risks such as crushing and hygiene concerns. The study monitored farrowing outcomes in 40 sows divided into two groups: a) Control group (C), where sows were housed in closed temporary crates from farrowing to weaning, and b) Open Sows group (OS), where the crates were opened on day 3 postpartum. Data collection included litter weight measurements at days 1, 8, 15, and 25 postpartum, health indicators for piglets (e.g., diarrhoea, limb disorders), sow dry matter intake, and sow health indicators. The findings revealed a higher incidence of piglet crushing in the OS group compared to the C group after cage opening (10.2% vs. 2.4%; p< 0.01), with a greater proportion of OS sows involved in crushing episodes (60.0% vs. 25.0%; p< 0.05). At weaning, while the average number of piglets per litter was higher in the C group (13.1 vs. 12.0; p< 0.001), no differences were found in number of total weaned piglets per group (262 C vs 240 OS; p = 0.157), and the average piglet weight was greater in the OS group (7.69 kg vs. 6.64 kg; p< 0.001). These results emphasise the trade-offs in open cage farrowing systems: while increased sow mobility may elevate the risk of piglet crushing, it also improves piglet growth and weaning weights without reducing the total number of weaned piglets. From an economic perspective, the higher growth rates and weaning weights in the OS group may help offset crushing losses, offering a potential pathway to greater confidence in the economic sustainability of alternative farrowing systems. The results provide a critical foundation for addressing farmer concerns about open cage farrowing systems, proving that such systems, while challenging, can align animal welfare improvements with economic viability through careful management practices.

Lazzarin, S. B. (2025). Open cage farrowing system: Balancing welfare and productivity [Master thesis]. https://thesis.unipd.it/handle/20.500.12608/91604

This post is a short summary of The Era Beyond Eisemann et al. (1984): Insect pain in the 21st century, a peer-reviewed, open-access publication on insect welfare in the Quarterly Review of Biology. The paper and supplemental information can be accessed here. The original paper was written by Meghan Barrett and Bob Fischer; the research conducted in the paper was funded by Rethink Priorities.

This post was written by Abraham Rowe and reviewed by Meghan Barrett and Bob Fischer. All information is derived from the original publication, and some text from the original publication is directly adapted for this summary.

Rowe, A. (2025, September 25). Research summary: The era beyond Eisemann—Insect pain in the 21st century. Rethink Priorities. https://rethinkpriorities.org/research-area/era-beyond-eisemann/

A growing number of biologists believe that insects could be sentient, and that we must do more to minimise any pain or stress we cause them. Tom Ireland examines the evidence.

Ireland, T. (2025, September 8). Six-legged suffering. The Biologist. https://thebiologist.rsb.org.uk/biologist-features/six-legged-suffering

Undergraduate (n = 32), graduate (n = 33), and veterinary students (n = 6) visited a virtual reality (VR) tour of a swine (n = 29) or dairy (n = 42) farm. Each tour featured a 360-degree video with voiceover and a self-guided exploration of farm basics and animal welfare challenges. The self-guided VR tour provided interactive hotspots for information. Students completed surveys pre- and post-tours, using a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Students who experienced the dairy farm showed significant increased agreement on welfare statements (p < 0.01), including that “Dairy producers care about cow welfare.” Similarly, swine tour students agreed more with “Current swine husbandry practices result in positive animal welfare” (p < 0.01). After the dairy tour, students agreed more on practices like the importance of biosecurity in transitioning barns (p < 0.01), while swine tour students showed no change (p = 1.0). Overall, virtual tours increased awareness of animal welfare (p < 0.05). More research is needed, but VR tours may effectively enhance classroom discussions on animal welfare.

Anderson, N. C., Underwood, L., & Byrd, C. J. (2025). Student reported learning of swine and dairy welfare concepts following a virtual reality livestock farm experience. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2025.2559700

Aquaculture has become the fastest-growing food production sector, driven by the rising global demand for seafood and the urgent need to reduce pressure on overexploited fish stocks. With global aquaculture production reaching an unprecedented 130.9 million tons in 2024, aquaculture is expected to further expand in the coming decade. Yet, this growth comes with challenges, including the reliance on fishmeal and fish oil, the impact of intensive farming on animal welfare, and the environmental costs of resource use and waste discharge. Addressing these challenges requires innovative approaches to nutrition, husbandry, and production systems that reduce ecological footprints while ensuring resilience and animal health.

The Special Issue “Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture: Enhancing Production Methods, Innovating Feed, Promoting Animal Welfare, and Minimizing Environmental Impact” was launched with this vision in mind. Its goal is to highlight new research that not only deepens scientific understanding but also delivers practical solutions for aquaculture sustainability. The nine articles published in this collection span key themes—feed innovation, stress physiology, and system-level integration—illustrating the breadth and dynamic nature of this rapidly developing field.

Nathanailides, C. (2025). Advancing sustainable aquaculture: enhancing production methods, innovating feeds, promoting animal welfare, and minimizing environmental impact. Animals, 15(17), 2601. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15172601 

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De la Llave Propín, Á. (2025). Effect of different harvesting methods on the welfare and product quality of rainbow trout [Doctoral dissertation]. https://oa.upm.es/90628/1/ALVARO_DE_LA_LLAVE_PROPIN_2.pdf

This preliminary study aimed to assess farmer perceptions of on farm welfare in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as for potential welfare indicators, risk factors, and corrective measures based on their experience and evalutation. A structured questionnaire covering five areas—farm data, management, on farm welfare, welfare at slaughtering, and perception at the wholesale level—was administered through interviews with 11 breeders man aging a total of 23 farms in northeastern Italy, where 70% of Italian trout production occurs. The collected data underwent a descriptive analysis and were then categorized based on welfare criteria, risk factors, and corrective measures following the four welfare principles: Good Housing, Good Feeding, Good Health, and Appropriate Behaviour. Potential welfare indicators were abnormal behaviours (as for species-specific behaviour, swimming, social behaviours, human-fish relationships), performance, clinical signs of illness and mortality. The interviewed farmers identified trout welfare as influenced by both uncontrollable external factors (light, noise, piscivorous birds) and controllable environmental conditions (tank bottom, water flow, water quality) (Good Housing); as well as feed composition (proportion of vegetable ingredients), pellet type (sinking or floating), feeding frequency (Good Feeding); and fish health status (lesions and diseases) (Good Health). Risk factors for Appropriate Behaviour are related with those identified in the previous principles. In view of developing on farm welfare assessment protocols, the validity, repeatability and feasability of the welfare indicators used by the farmers should be tested under field conditions.

Bordignon, F., Xiccato, G., & Trocino, A. (2025). Farmer perception of fish welfare in rainbow trout farms. 76th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science. https://www.research.unipd.it/handle/11577/3560214

To measure and record fish welfare in a consistent manner, a detailed protocol is necessary for how measurements and scores should be conducted. This report describes three environmental based (oxygen, temperature, and salinity), three group based (behavior, appetite, and mortality), and fourteen individual based operational welfare indicators for use in salmon grow-out facilities. All indicators are divided into four levels that indicate increasing welfare burden at each level. The protocol includes instructions on how the indicators should be measured or scored, and for the individual-based welfare indicators, there is a guide with a description of each indicator and three example images for each of the three levels indicating deviations (scoring levels 1-3).

Nilsson, J., Gismervik, K., Nielsen, K. V., Iversen, M. H., Noble, C., Kolarevic, J., Frotjold, H., Nielsen, K., Wilkinson, E., Klakegg, B., Hauge, H. S., Sæther, P. A., Kristiansen, T. S., & Stien, L. H. (2025). Laksvel – A standardised, operational welfare monitoring protocol for Atlantic salmon held in sea cages. FAO AGRIS – International System for Agricultural Science and Technology. https://agris.fao.org/search/en/providers/125334/records/6878ed7c0868163a2f755c86 

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a critical factor for animal welfare, growth, and production performance in Atlantic salmon sea cage farming, but challenging to monitor and manage in the complex farm environment. Variation in DO stems from complex interactions between the local environment, large fish populations, farm structures, and production activities, and understanding this intra-farm variation is key to improving DO management.In this study, we explore the potential of combining in-situ environmental measurements and production data with a mathematical model that simulates DO variation at the cage-level. We apply this model to three commercial sea cage farms, evaluate the extent of production impairment not captured by in-situ measurements and identify key drivers of DO variation using a statistical model.The results show substantial intra-farm variation in DO. The model output indicates significantly worse conditions than seen directly from the DO measurements, with a production impairment up to 65 percentage points greater at the modelled cage-level. From July to October, model outputs indicate that all sites experienced continuous DO levels below maximum feed intake, for 62-80% of the time, and some periods of heightened welfare risks. While environmental factors are identified as the main drivers of in-cage variation, 13-15% is caused by farm-controlled factors, including cage position, biomass and daily feed ration.Our findings show that integrating in-situ measurements with modelling reveals insights into the in-cage DO levels across farms without dense sensor networks, offering a method for aligning operations to environmental restrictions and a greater precision in farm management.

Berntsson, E. V. C., Alver, M., Liland, K. H., & Stevik, T. K. (2025). Modeling cage-level dissolved oxygen variation within salmon farms. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5437640

Aquaculture has become one of the most rapidly expanding food production industries of the planet, but its sustainability is rapidly diminishing due to the popularity of infectious diseases that lead to substantial financial losses and deterioration of fish welfare. The management of diseases in aquaculture will require transition to preventive treatment of diseases through an integrated health management system rather than reactive treatment. The present review summarizes the existing evidence in the area of preventive measures, such as biosecurity, water quality control, vaccination, the use of immunostimulants, pro- & prebiotics, and dietary interventions, the use of early disease detection techniques. The framework focuses on the use of a holistic approach through the integration of environmental management, host resistance enhancement, and pathogen control to minimize outbreaks of diseases. Besides, the paper emphasizes the significance of the ecosystem-based management, training of farmers, and policy-level intervention to reinforce the measures of the disease control. Issues like antibiotic resistance, the effects of climate changes, and inaccessibility to vaccines in the developing world are also addressed. Through the description of strengths and weakness of current approaches, the review offers a holistic basis of designing sustainable, preventive and adaptive health management models within aquaculture. The results support the importance of using multidisciplinary efforts to achieve fish health, food security, and sustainability of the aquaculture industry.

Rehman, K., Istiraj, Jamal, F., Memon, R. N., Ahmad, M., & Shahid, F. (2025). Preventive strategies and health management framework for controlling fish diseases in aquaculture: Review paper. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Cardiological Review, 4(3). https://pakjmcr.com/index.php/1/article/view/142

This narrative review explores key issues surrounding climate change and diets, highlighting individual-level dynamics and structural constraints to implementing policies that prioritize sustainability through a political economy lens. Strong interconnections exist between climate change and agri-food systems. Current eating patterns are unsustainable, threatening both human and planetary health. Hence, the urgency of promoting “Planetary Health Diets.” Available evidence confirms that the healthiest diets exert the least pressure on the environment. Partially substituting meat with plant-based alternatives and reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods can contribute to more climate-friendly dietary patterns. Environmental issues, eco-emotions, health-related dietary motivations, and ethical aspects likely encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable eating habits. In contrast, high prices, consumers’ low acceptance, low education, lack of a standardized definition, and weakness in the current information-based instruments related to sustainable food production pose significant challenges to consumers’ choices. Effective governance at global, national, and local levels is pivotal. Integrating sustainability issues in national food-based dietary guidelines, education and awareness campaigns, along with reforming public food procurement and offering economic incentives for sustainable foods have the potential to foster the transition towards a healthy sustainable eating. Current dietary patterns negatively affect both planetary and human health. However, consumers are increasingly inclined toward sustainable food options. While individuals play a role in food choices, structural interventions are essential to ensuring a successful transition.

Berti, C., Baglioni, M., La Vecchia, A., D’Oria, V., Bettocchi, S., & Agostoni, C. (2025). Climate change and consumers’ food choices towards sustainability: A narrative review. Nutrition Reviews. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuaf151/8248113

Climate change is currently the most significant threat to public health, and human activities are the major contributing factor. There is an urgent need to prioritize mitigation strategies at both personal and public policy levels. There is a general lack of belief that changes at a personal level would have a significant effect. However, it is vital to recognize the importance of food consumption on one’s personal footprint and how it can be used as a key feature in mitigation efforts. The Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan projects that reducing meat consumption per individual by 50% reduces an individual’s carbon footprint by 35% per day and reducing by 90% cuts an individual’s carbon footprint by 51% per day. Additionally, high meat consumption has been associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. In contrast, plant-based diets are linked to better health outcomes and lower mortality rates. This article is a narrative review and reviews current evidence on the health and environmental impacts of meat-based diets and highlights the potential benefits of plant-forward dietary patterns. These findings support the integration of dietary recommendations into climate and public health strategies. Promoting plant-based diets through clinical guidance and policy initiatives may offer a cost-effective, scalable approach to advancing both population health and environmental sustainability.

Moparty, H., Pala, M., Ampolu, S., & Gayam, S. (2025). Diet for human and planetary health: Why we should consider limiting meat? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22101499

Objective

We aimed to explore current sustainability practices in Connecticut Public School Foodservice systems, identify gaps and opportunities to improve sustainability, including farm-to-school education.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey was developed using Qualtrics on the University secure server. The survey included quantifiable questions related to purchasing practices, school gardens, energy and water conservation, waste stream management, and plant-based menus. Open-ended questions asked what types of assistance would be helpful. In September 2024, the survey was emailed to 147 public school food service directors; 55 responses were received by December. Data were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Text responses were manually coded and summarized. Major Findings &

Conclusions

Local purchasing occurs at 98% of schools (n=55), 98% reporting they sometimes or always purchase local produce and 91% sourcing local dairy. Many expressed interest in increasing their procurement of local meat and poultry. Additionally, 60% of schools participate in farm-to-school activities. Plant-based menu options are reported as an urgent priority, with 58% of schools currently offering them. However, schools remain uncertain about how to enhance sustainability overall and reported that resources to implement comprehensive composting and waste management programs would be helpful. Practical Application: The survey responses serve as a baseline for future research into the evolving sustainability efforts of both school food service and farm-to-school programs. These findings can inform the development of educational initiatives for students, teachers, foodservice staff, and administrative staff within Connecticut school districts—and potentially beyond—by highlighting opportunities to enhance sustainability practices.

Shanley, E., Henderson, C., Routhier, O., Zahner, K., Dugdale, T., Bove, J., & Duffy, V. (2025). Sustainability practices among Connecticut public school districts and opportunities for improvement. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 125(10), A112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2025.06.411

Background

Consuming sustainable diets represents one of the global targets to address human and planetary health. Yet research examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of college students towards sustainable diets is still in its nascence phase in the US.

Methods

Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the KAP of college students towards sustainable diets in a minority serving institution in North Carolina (summer 2024). Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software.

Results

Analyses from qualitative interviews (n = 15) showed four emergent themes. College students have mixed KAP for sustainable diets (theme 1). Albeit the willingness to adopt more sustainable practices, barriers persist (theme 2), including time constraints; limited physical and economic access (availability and cost as barriers for consuming plant-based foods); and mixed social environment influence (family/partner/peer) on sustainable practices among college students. Food and nutrition literacy remain challenges due to difficulty in planning, preparing food, and low confidence in cooking skills. Facilitators to promote awareness and adopt sustainable diets (theme 3) included the influence of social media on students’ choices for sustainable diets, and the potential for schools, universities, and community activities to engage students in sustainability-related issues. Students had mixed perceptions of the government and private sector roles in promoting sustainability (theme 4).

Conclusion

Findings from this formative study helped explore the KAP of young adults towards sustainable diets and can guide the design of evidence-based interventions to promote diets that have lower environmental footprint and better health outcomes.

Jomaa, L., O’Briant, J., Russell, S., & McGowan, R. (2025). Sustainable diets: Exploring knowledge, attitudes and practices of college students using a qualitative approach. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 125(10), A61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2025.06.167

Eco-labelling is a way to transparently communicate a product’s environmental impact. A universal Eco-Score is under debate, and it remains unclear which form of eco-labelling best supports consumers in identifying sustainable food products, especially in combination with the Nutri-Score. The effectiveness of the Eco-Score on sustainability identification was assessed in two online choice tests (n = 1201, n = 938), by assessing: 1) Eco-Score vs. no label 2) the label design (letter vs. traffic light), 3a) the co-presence of Nutri-Score, and 3 b) similarity versus opposition between Nutri- and Eco-Scores. Results show that without Eco-Score, the overall mean correctness score was 52 % (the change rate of selecting the most sustainable food out of two). With Eco-Score, this improved to 72 % (p < 0.001). The single-letter version slightly outperformed the traffic light version (p = 0.018), particularly among lower-educated respondents. The co-presence of Nutri-Score reduced correct identification slightly (by 5 %), but only when the two scores showed opposite directions (p < 0.001). In conclusion, consumers benefit from a sustainability label to make informed food choices. The simpler letter format is at least as effective as the traffic light version. Although conflicting Nutri-Scores may slightly reduce sustainability identification, the overall positive effect of the Eco-Score remained strong. Adding a sustainability label like the Eco-Score alongside Nutri-Score offers complementary guidance on both health and environmental impact.

Bolhuis, D. P., Adema, H., van Bergen, G., & Onwezen, M. C. (2025). The impact of the eco-score and the co-presence of Nutri-Score on sustainable food identification by consumers. Appetite, 215, 108245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108245

Objective:

The transformation of food systems has emerged as a critical component of global climate action, with food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) increasingly recognised as a key policy tool to promote both public health and environmental sustainability. However, despite their importance, many national FBDGs fail to integrate sustainability considerations or adequately support diverse plant-based dietary patterns.

Design:

This review proposes a socioecological framework for enhancing the inclusivity and adaptability of FBDGs, enabling them to better reflect evolving food systems and consumer behaviours while strengthening their role in promoting sustainable and health-conscious diets.

Results:

Five key gaps in current FBDGs worldwide were identified: (1) the need for more inclusive food-group classifications that accommodate plant-based protein sources; (2) clearer recommendations for limiting the consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASF) for health and environmental reasons; (3) guidance on obtaining essential macro- and micronutrients from plant-based sources; (4) the inclusion of plant-based alternatives to ASF within dietary recommendations; and (5) comprehensive advice on well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets.

Conclusion:

Addressing these gaps is crucial to ensuring that FBDGs remain relevant to a broad spectrum of dietary preferences, including those motivated by ecological, ethical, religious, and cultural factors.

Klapp, A.-L. (2025). Towards more balanced dietary guidelines: Connecting climate, culture, and nutrition. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665125100670

Excess meat production and overconsumption have raised concerns worldwide about meat’s potential negative environmental and climate impacts. Reducing these impacts requires behavioural changes among meat consumers as well as an understanding of consumers’ stage of change on their meat reduction journey. The transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change offers the potential to reveal consumer readiness for such changes. This study segmented consumers based on their stages of change (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation and action) as conceptualised by the TTM and identified these segments’ psychographic and demographic characteristics. Data were collected via a nationwide online consumer survey in which flyers with a survey link were sent to households in randomly selected postal codes across Switzerland. Cluster analysis (N = 569) using Ward’s method identified four distinct consumer segments: ‘Not willing’, ‘Aware but not ready’, ‘Aware and involved’ and ‘Committed and acting’. ‘Not willing’ consumers appear more likely to be in the pre-contemplation stage of TTM and more sceptical of meat reduction, whereas the ‘Committed and acting’ segment includes meat reducers, who claim to be in the action stage. The ‘Aware but not ready’ are mostly at the ‘contemplation’ or ‘preparation’ stages and ‘Aware and involved’ consumers are at the ‘preparation’ or ‘action’ stages. These two segments are considered the main target groups that are amenable to reducing meat intake. Consumers from these two segments show a greater intention to reduce meat consumption and increase vegetable consumption. Targeted strategies should be developed to guide each consumer segment towards more advanced stages of meat reduction.

Lucas, B. F., Ha, T. M., Götze, F., Ngo, M. H., Markoni, E., Bui, T. L., Nguyen, A. D., Le, N. T., Delley, M., Pham, B. D., & Brunner, T. A. (2025). Are you ready to eat less meat? Consumer segmentation based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 18, 100295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2025.100295

Reducing meat consumption benefits animal welfare, the environment, and public health. Yet, most food environments remain meat-centric, signaling pro-meat social norms. As a result, meat-eaters rarely experience meat-related cognitive dissonance and meat consumption is reinforced. This study investigated how meat-eaters – both with high and low meat-eating identities – respond when placed in a vegetarian/vegan-centric environment. We hypothesized that such environments signal pro-vegetarian/vegan social norms, thereby triggering cognitive dissonance and, in turn, increasing the choice for meat alternatives. In a 2 (vegetarian/vegan dish availability: 25%, 75%) x 2 (poster: animal welfare, neutral) between-subjects online experiment with a representative Dutch sample (N = 888), we tested how two types of environmental cues trigger distinct social norms in a restaurant setting. As predicted, increased availability of vegetarian/vegan menu options (versus meat options) more strongly influenced descriptive norms, whereas an animal welfare poster (versus neutral) more strongly influenced injunctive norms. Both interventions significantly increased cognitive dissonance via injunctive norms, which in turn decreased meat choice, whereas descriptive norms exerted a direct effect on choice. Furthermore, the availability intervention was more effective at eliciting dissonance among higher levels of meat-eating identity, whereas the poster intervention was more effective among lower levels. These findings demonstrate that cues in the food environment can signal distinct social norms, which influence sustainable food choice through different pathways and resonate differently across identity groups. Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into how environmental cues can be leveraged to accelerate the transition from animal-based to plant-based diets.

Bouwman, E. P., Onwezen, M., Fischer, A. R. H., Verain, M. C. D., Reinders, M. J., & Dagevos, H. (2025). Challenging the meat-centric environment: How different social norm triggers affect cognitive dissonance and meat reduction. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5447194

Reducing meat consumption is widely regarded as sustainable and healthy. Despite its many benefits, modifying or abandoning established eating habits remains challenging for most people. In this paper, we investigate how families change their diets. Specifically, we examine the strategies and actions that one or both parents – acting as change agents – use to facilitate dietary change, as well as household members’ responses to these efforts. We collected data through a qualitative study of thirteen Chinese families living in New Zealand (n = 42), offering a perspective that extends beyond European and American populations. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants’ homes. Grounding our analysis in construal-level theory and family-systems theory, we identified three stages in the change process: (1) implementing a meat-reduction diet, (2) rebuilding mutual trust and respect, and (3) inspiring household members to develop a sense of commitment and responsibility. We propose a theoretical model that explains the construal shifts – from abstract to concrete and from family-centric to society-centric – that change agents use to reduce their families’ psychological distance from food consumption, thereby enabling dietary change at home. Our work contributes to the literature on family-level dietary change and supports the development of behavior-change campaigns that target families rather than individuals.

Zhao, X., Castka, P., & Kemper, J. (2025). Diet transformations in families: Unravelling the meat reduction process with parents as change agents. Appetite, 108316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108316 

Purpose 

This study aims to explore the efficacy of three different information interventions (negative information highlighting the negative impacts of conventional meat consumption, positive information emphasizing the benefits of plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) consumption, and a combination of these two types) for enhancing consumers’ preference for PBMA. 

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, we use a hypothetical choice experiment and a between-subject design to empirically investigate the effects of different types of information on consumers’ willingness to pay for PBMA.

Findings

The results indicate that consumers are unwilling to pay for PBMA, but they are willing to pay a high premium for PBMA labeled as low fat and high protein. We find that negative information, either alone or in combination with positive information, successfully increased consumers’ preference for PBMA. Conversely, the use of positive information alone failed to have the same impact.Practical implicationsOur findings provide important implications for stakeholders in designing effective communication strategies to encourage consumers towards the consumption of PBMA.

Originality/value

This research is the first attempt to explore the effectiveness of negative information (i.e. information on the negative impacts of conventional meat consumption) on consumers’ preference for plant-based meat.

Yuan, Rao, Wang, Zuer, Wu, Wenchao, Jin, & Shaosheng. (2025). Does negative information on conventional meat work as an effective communication strategy to promote plant-based meat consumption? China Agricultural Economic Review. https://www.emerald.com/caer/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/CAER-05-2024-0145/1278781/Does-negative-information-on-conventional-meat?redirectedFrom=fulltext 

Global food systems are responsible for approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making a shift toward lower-carbon diets essential for mitigating climate change. While nudges have shown efficacy in steering food choices, concerns persist regarding individuals’ autonomy, transparency and the durability of behavioural change. As an alternative, boosts seek to enhance consumers’ competencies and support informed decision-making. However, there is a dearth of comparative research on nudges versus boosts, particularly regarding their ability to foster a sense of consumer responsibility for sustainable consumption (CRSC) – an important driver of long-term behavioural change. To address this gap, this study evaluates a “default+” nudge and an “information+” boost within a simulated food-delivery environment, while examining CRSC as a potential mediator. Employing a mixed design experiment (2 survey waves: intervention, follow-up; 3 conditions: nudge, boost, control), we collected data from 664 German consumers. Our primary outcome was the estimated CO2 footprint of participants’ hypothetical meal choices, calculated using established secondary emission data. Results show that the nudge intervention significantly reduced participants’ meal-related CO2 emissions, whereas the boost intervention yielded considerably smaller and less consistent effects. However, neither intervention produced lasting effects in the follow-up survey, where choice architecture reverted to the control condition. Moreover, while higher CRSC induced lower emissions, neither the nudge nor the boost elevated CRSC, and thus the hypothesized mediating role of consumer responsibility was not supported. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results for the design of effective sustainable food choice interventions.

Hess, A. M., Tatic, M., Klink-Lehmann, J., Zenker, P., & Hartmann, M. (2025). Evaluating nudge and boost strategies for greener meals in food-delivery: An experimental study. Appetite, 108278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108278

Background

Consuming sustainable diets represents one of the global targets to address human and planetary health. Yet research examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of college students towards sustainable diets is still in its nascence phase in the US.

Methods

Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the KAP of college students towards sustainable diets in a minority serving institution in North Carolina (summer 2024). Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software.

Results

Analyses from qualitative interviews (n = 15) showed four emergent themes. College students have mixed KAP for sustainable diets (theme 1). Albeit the willingness to adopt more sustainable practices, barriers persist (theme 2), including time constraints; limited physical and economic access (availability and cost as barriers for consuming plant-based foods); and mixed social environment influence (family/partner/peer) on sustainable practices among college students. Food and nutrition literacy remain challenges due to difficulty in planning, preparing food, and low confidence in cooking skills. Facilitators to promote awareness and adopt sustainable diets (theme 3) included the influence of social media on students’ choices for sustainable diets, and the potential for schools, universities, and community activities to engage students in sustainability-related issues. Students had mixed perceptions of the government and private sector roles in promoting sustainability (theme 4).

Conclusion

Findings from this formative study helped explore the KAP of young adults towards sustainable diets and can guide the design of evidence-based interventions to promote diets that have lower environmental footprint and better health outcomes.

Noel, T., & Subhan, F. (2025). Exploring the impact of a traffic light food labeling system on student food choices and selection trends at a university food pantry. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 125(10), A95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2025.06.240

Diets prioritising plant-source foods and minimising animal products can prevent disease and reduce the environmental impact of the food system. Hospitals face tight budgets, rising diet-related disease, and carbon emission targets: using choice architecture to increase plant-based diets could support these objectives. This study identifies barriers and enablers to implementing choice architecture in English hospitals to promote healthy sustainable plant-based diets. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders from hospital catering, dietetics, sustainability, public health, and behavioural science using purposive sampling. Inductive thematic analysis of transcripts identified key themes using NVivo [version 14]. Ethical approval was obtained from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine ethics committee [ref: 30243]. Barriers included poor interdepartmental collaboration, limited workforce capacity and investment, nutritional uncertainties, inconsistent definitions, knowledge gaps, commercial influence and absence of standardised carbon reporting guidelines. Successful implementation is contingent on leadership buy-in, appropriate terminology, educational investment, and robust impact evaluation. Aligning policy, staff collaboration and transparency around industry involvement could elevate plant-based initiatives up the health agenda. Policymakers should provide clear consistent targets, terminology, and standards for evaluation, support the use of pilot case studies, and apply national frameworks for industry engagement. Staff and patient involvement in decision-making, investment in food services, catering staff education, and integrating health promotion at food provision points are key implementation actions. This study identifies opportunities for cross-sector stakeholders to support healthier sustainable dietary choices in English hospitals by altering the choice environment to encourage consumption of plant-based diets.

Bion, V., & Turner, G. (2025). Moving from treatment to prevention: Benefits and barriers to utilising choice architecture to promote healthy sustainable hospital food. A thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5437723

Overconsumption of meat negatively impacts human and environmental health, and thesechallenges are expected to worsen due to global population growth and increasing meatconsumption. Many consumers appear unwilling to reduce their meat intake, and this resistanceto dietary change is more common among adult men than women. However, data about meateating attitudes and behaviors are lacking for younger generational cohorts. Generation Z (i.e.,those born between 1995 and 2010; Gen Z) is a growing consumer group whose dietarydecisions will have environmental and human health consequences. Little is known about GenZ’s meat consumption habits and behaviors and whether this population exhibits a gender gap inmeat intake. The purpose of this study was to understand the overall dietary patterns, currentmeat consumption habits, and intention to reduce meat intake among Gen Z college students.Additionally, this study aimed to identify demographic factors and COM-B theoretical constructsthat predict meat consumption habits and a reduction in meat intake in this population.A 40-item online cross-sectional survey assessed demographic characteristics (13 items),current meat consumption habits (3 items), intentions and stance toward reducing meat intake (2items), and factors influencing a reduction in meat intake (22 items) among Gen Z collegestudents at two Southwestern Virginia state colleges (n = 1,403). Factors influencing a reductionin meat intake were categorized according to the COM-B theoretical model, where psychologicalcapability (4 items), physical capability (3 items), physical opportunity (3 items), socialopportunity (4 items), reflective motivation (3 items), and automatic motivation (5-items) wereassessed using a Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic data, dietary patterns, dietary habits ofmeat consumption, and intentions toward reducing meat intake. Generalized linear models(GLM) with Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) model selection were used to assess whethereight demographic factors and six COM-B constructs predict 1) meat consumption habits and 2)the transtheoretical model (TTM) stages of change for reduced meat intake of Gen Z collegestudents.Most students adhered to an omnivore diet (91.9%) and consumed meat 6 – 7 days perweek (65.3%). Most students were also in the TTM pre-contemplation stage of change for meatreduction (81.5%), indicating that they were satisfied with their weekly meat intake and did notsee a need to change it. Gender differences were evident for both meat intake frequency and theintention to reduce meat consumption. Meat intake frequency was best explained by a model thatincluded automatic motivation, gender identification, college institution, reflective motivation,psychological capability, and physical opportunity, with automatic motivation and genderidentification having the greatest effect. In contrast, the intention to reduce meat consumption(TTM stages of change) was best explained by a model that included reflective motivation,automatic motivation, social opportunity, and psychological capability. Both reflective andautomatic motivations were the strongest predictors within this model. These results providefoundational information necessary to design effective interventions to reduce meat intake in Gen Z college students. Targeted interventions that use a multi-faceted approach emphasizingstudent motivations may improve outcomes for behavior change in this population.

Moosman, D. (2025). Predictors of dietary meat reduction in Gen Z college students: A cross-sectional survey using the COM-B model [Doctoral dissertation]. https://www.proquest.com/openview/1cec2e51d51026deb80887186a5cf5ee/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Promoting a shift away from meat consumption towards an increased share of plant-based alternatives is a promising strategy for addressing environmental challenges while also improving population health. Many consumers already express a strong interest in adopting more sustainable and healthy diets, however, empirical evidence suggests that there is only a weak link between these intentions and actual dietary changes. To unpack this intention-behavior gap this study explores three research questions 1) What factors explain intentions to reduce meat consumption among meat eaters? 2) How much meat do individuals with reduction intentions consume, compared to those without such intentions? and 3) Among participants with reduction intentions — what factors drive their continued meat consumption? To answer these questions, we developed a survey and recruited a nationally representative sample of Swedish consumers (n = 998). A backwards stepwise regression, including 14 theoretically informed variables, revealed that attitudes— towards meat (β = −0.32) and plant-based proteins (β = 0.35) both — were the strongest predictors of intentions to reduce meat consumption. Individual factors like environmental self-identity (β = 0.13) and gender (β = 0.08) played smaller but meaningful roles as did practical considerations such as the perceived convenience of cooking meat compared to plant-based foods (β = 0.09). Furthermore, although the result showed a significant difference in self-reported meat consumption between individuals with high stated intentions to reduce meat intake and those with low or no intention, the size of the difference was small only (d = 0.15), bordering negligible, reaffirming the suspected intention-behavior gap. Among those with intentions to lower their meat consumption, only two key variables emerged as driving continued meat eating — meat purchasing habits (β = 0.33) and a positive attitude towards mea t(β = 0.17). These results underscore the challenges of translating intentions into action and highlight how different variables are important for a) shaping intentions and b) driving these into actions. While intentions are a needed prerequisite for voluntary behavior change, they sometimes prove insufficient on their own, especially when the aim is to change behaviors heavily governed by habits. Practical implications suggest that focusing on breaking habits and fostering positive attitudes towards plant-based alternatives are key in bridging the gap between intentions and actual diet changes.

Linder, N., Lindahl, T., & Wijermans, N. (2026). Psychological barriers for sustainable diets: Unpacking intention-behavior gaps in meat consumption. Food Quality and Preference, 135, 105721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105721

The current global food system poses risks to the environment and human health. In recent years, there has been vigorous activity in Europe to shift people toward sustainable and healthy dietary behaviours (SHDBs). However, existing research on the effectiveness of interventions to promote SHDBs is scattered and a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence across individual, interpersonal, organisational, community and policy levels is lacking. We conducted a systematic review which aimed to synthesise the evidence from research evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to improve SHDBs among European adults. Interventions included those which aimed to 1. Reduce animal-based food intake or choice, 2. Increase plant-based food intake or choice, 3. Increase the intake or choice of fruit and vegetables, 4. Increase the intake or choice of products with low GHG emissions, 5. Reduce food waste. After a comprehensive literature search, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine studies were considered at high risk of bias, six at moderate risk, and two at low risk of bias. Multi-level interventions that include individual, organisational and food environment levels in a range of food environment settings are likely to be effective strategies to improve SHDBs. Interventions that identify appropriate intervention points to match each specific food environment context and target population are also likely to promote SHDBs. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of policy-level SHDBs interventions, which were not represented in this review. There will also need to be high-quality research to evaluate the longer-term effects of SHDBs interventions.

Sato, H., & Oldroyd, J. (2025). The effectiveness of interventions to improve environmentally sustainable and healthy dietary behaviours among European adults: A systematic review. Appetite, 108302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108302 

In this deep dive, we use research and visual guides to walk you through the process of encouraging new people to go veg, and strategies for helping them stay veg.

Ginsberg, C. (2025). Tactics in practice: The science of making and keeping veg*ns. Faunalytics. https://faunalytics.org/tactics-in-practice-the-science-of-making-and-keeping-vegans-and-vegetarians/

Meat consumption is widely recognized as socially and culturally embedded, yet sociocultural intervention strategies to reduce meat-eating practices remain underdeveloped. This article aims to help fill this research gap by combining insights from social practice theory, ritual studies, and cultural sociology in order to explore ‘ritual intervention’ strategies. While interventions are usually thought of as initiated from the outside, this article capitalizes on the fact that people both reproduce practices and are able to initiate change through their performance. Using a co-creative approach, we invited young adults to intervene in their Christmas meal in ways that reduce meat consumption and to keep a logbook of their experiences. The logbooks were also used for follow-up interviews. The data were analyzed thematically, to identify distinct intervention strategies. The results show that research participants were able to reduce meat consumption by creatively and often unobtrusively renegotiating the centrality of meat, the ownership of the meal, and the ways in which commensality was achieved. On the other hand, participants found they could not interfere with important values, meanings and objectives associated with meat. Based on this case study, we conclude by articulating lessons for ritual intervention strategies in consumption practices. Such a strategy takes a bottom-up approach, capitalizes on the potential for change through performance, maintains the integrity of practices and identifies entry points for change in the ritual nature of consumption practices.

Koning, N., van der Horst, H., Besseling, M., Klomp, M., Smit, P.-B., & Dibbits, H. (2025). Towards ritual intervention in meat consumption practices: The case of meat in Dutch Christmas meals. Appetite, 108300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108300 

Current high levels of meat production and consumption are linked to severe health and environmental issues around the world. One remedy to this situation is a shift towards more plant-based diets. Several factors influence consumers’ meat intake including personal, socio-cultural, and economic factors as well as characteristics of the food environment. An increasing number of intervention studies are addressing these factors to support the necessary diet shift. However, the relative impact of factors on diets as well as the effectiveness of interventions might differ across geographic settings. This literature review describes (i) how far extant intervention studies on meat consumption reduction take the regional context into account, and (ii) whether current findings allow to distill universal factors that effectively reduce meat consumption across regions and countries.

Kwasny, T., Marth, S., Dobernig, K., & Riefler, P. (2025). Universal truths about reducing meat consumption? Current Environmental Health Reports, 12(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-025-00498-3 

It is important that healthy and sustainable diets are formed during childhood. Education is a potential strategy to increase acceptance of alternative proteins (AP) in children, though traditional educational materials show mixed effectiveness. We developed an interactive application that educates on the different types of AP (i.e., plant-based meat, cultivated meat, insect proteins) and their manufacturing processes. We tested the effectiveness of this application versus an educational booklet with the same content. Children (N=81; 44=boys; 9-15 years-old) with little perceived awareness of AP were randomly allocated to engage with either educational material. They completed questions measuring perceived knowledge of and willingness-to-try AP before and after engaging with the education materials (pre(T1)-/post(T2)-intervention) and at four-week follow-up (T3). Children were also presented with four AP to assess objective willingness-to-try. Results show significantly longer engagement with the interactive education application compared to the education booklet (p<.001), but there were no significant differences in liking of the materials (p=.210). Perceived knowledge for all AP types significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention (ps<.001) and was maintained for cultivated meat and insect proteins at follow-up (no significant difference between T2 and T3). Willingness-to-try cultivated meat significantly increased from pre- to post-intervention (p=.034), but not for plant-based meat or insect proteins (ps≥.080). There was no significant difference in the overall intake of plant-based meat samples between the two education types. Education, delivered interactively or passively, can increase initial self-reported ratings of perceived knowledge of AP, but repeated engagement may be beneficial to ensure long-term maintenance.

Pink, A. E., Wan, K. S., Juraimi, S. A., Bhatnagar, M., Chee, J., Oh, H. S., Simons, J., Teo, P. S., Sheen, F., Chong, M. F.-F., Smith, B., & Fogel, A. (2025). Using interactive education materials to empower children to be future consumers of alternative proteins: A randomised control trial. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5523783

This article critically examines links between men, masculinities and non-human animals in the Capitalocene, where humanity’s exploitation and commodification of other forms of life have led to ecological breakdown and other crises on a planetary scale. While some recent work in CSMM has discussed men and masculinities from posthumanist perspectives, specific engagement with non-human animals and animality remains largely absent. To examine these connections, I draw on existing work in CSMM and other critical approaches, such as critical animal studies, feminist animal studies/ecofeminism, and critical race scholarship. I propose studying men and masculinities from a critical posthumanist intersectional approach that integrates non-human animals and animality. The insights provided in this article can inspire new ways of thinking about men and masculinities in CSMM and facilitate envisioning and practicing more sustainable and ethical material relations with non-human animals.

Aavik, K. (2025). Linking men, masculinities and non-human animals in the Capitalocene: Implications for critical studies on men and masculinities. Men and Masculinities. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X251382199

While bystander reactions to violence against humans have been well studied, less is known about how people react to animal abuse. We studied whether the same psychological predictors are relevant to reactions to the abuse of animals and humans. We examined the role of Dark Tetrad traits (Narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism), ideologies of superiority (social dominance orientation and speciesism – the belief in human superiority over non-human animals), as well as moral disengagement, self-efficacy, and descriptive social norms in predicting reactions to animal and child abuse. In a survey study (N = 518), participants indicated their general reactions to animal abuse as well as how they would react in a situation depicting the abuse of a dog and a child. The general reactions to animal abuse were best predicted by the Dark traits and the endorsement of the ideologies of superiority, most significantly, sadism and speciesism. Both animal and child abuse elicited high and comparable levels of distress and active response intentions. In addition to the general predictors mentioned above, bystander reactions in the case of animal abuse were predicted by lower moral disengagement and perceived self-efficacy, while it was moral disengagement alone that predicted reactions to child abuse. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the relevant psychological aspects of reactions to violence and empowering citizens to react more actively to abuse and violence.

Branković, M., & Budžak, A. (2025). Psychological predictors of bystander reactions to the abuse of animals and humans. OSF Preprints. https://sciety-discovery.elifesciences.org/articles/by?article_doi=10.31234/osf.io/d8rzm_v1

Through framing analysis, this research spans a decade (2013–2022) of news on animal agriculture, focusing on the industry’s constituent bodies, farmed animals, to uncover how journalism operates with speciesism as a societal driving force. Findings indicate that animal welfare is framed as a scientific issue, while environmental news coverage downplays the struggles of these animals within industry operations. To conclude, the normative journalistic standard of accuracy is discussed as functioning primarily within an anthropocentric framework, while the news value of care is suggested as a remedy for social ignorance perpetuated by the press regarding farmed animals.

Rossi, M. (2025). Speciesist journalism: News media coverage on farmed animals and care as a news value. Journalism and Media, 6(4), 165. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6040165 

This month’s Faunalytics Index provides facts and stats about therapy cats, live fish transport in China, diet misinformation “super-spreaders,” and more.

Cant, M. (2025). Faunalytics Index – September 2025. Faunalytics. https://faunalytics.org/faunalytics-index-september-2025/ 

This study examines factors influencing sustained engagement and disengagement in climate activism, specifically within Extinction Rebellion. Through interviews with 26 current and former activists, we identify 10 barriers and facilitators, organized into 3 themes: Socio-organizational barriers and facilitators, Efficacy perceptions, and Burnout and strategies to avoid exhaustion. Participants discussed the following barriers to engagement, potentially leading to disengagement: (1) a lack of social integration, for example, due to biographical differences or difficulties in finding a clear role; (2) conflicts and disagreements (3) doubts about having an impact; (4) challenges within a non-hierarchical organization, such as unclear decision-making procedures or informal leaderships; and (5) burnout stemming from activism-related stressors; and (6) stressors external to activism. Conversely, factors facilitating engagement were: (1) strong social connections; (2) a pragmatic approach to impact, for example, enabled by having a long-term perspective on outcomes; (3) being driven by moral convictions; and (4) access to organizational and individual strategies to manage stress, including the acceptance of varying commitment levels. The findings suggest that the impact of these barriers and facilitators on the activist trajectory is influenced by one’s motivations for engaging. Our discussion offers insights into fostering sustained engagement in social movements.

Eklöf, B., Vestergren, S., Wennerhag, M., & Klöckner, C. A. (2025). Remaining in or leaving climate activism: Insights from current and former activists on sustained engagement. Social Movement Studies, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2025.2562878

Student animal advocacy is, in many ways, a lifeblood of the animal protection movement. Our guide will help student activists enhance and accelerate their campus advocacy efforts.

Ólafsson, B. (2025). Research round-up: A guide for university advocates. Faunalytics. https://faunalytics.org/research-round-up-a-guide-for-university-advocates/

As it stands, many humans and industries use animals in exploitative and abusive ways. Our human relationship with animals, as well as the current frameworks which legally permit harmful and oppressive practices, must be transformed in order to address the suffering that humans inflict upon animals. To address this, legal protections can be developed to determine rights for animals, solidify expectations for an ethical and peaceful coexistence between our species and others, and remove animals from the systems that exploit them. Policies can be successful when crafted through the animal perspective, prioritizing their best interests. The policies which advocates craft, support, and lobby for can determine the direction and evolution of animal rights and the progression of meaningful changes for animals. With the passing of bold and inclusive legislation promoting animal rights and the eradication of animal use, animals can be protected from human-inflicted suffering.

Sullivan, E. (2025). Advancing the protection of all animals utilizing policy. In T. Pietrzykowski & B. Wahlberg (Eds.), Research handbook on animal law and animal rights (pp. 509–517). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035324880.00037 

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Wahlberg, B., & D. Frasch, P. (2025). Animal law unveiled: Defining a new era of legal advocacy. In T. Pietrzykowski & B. Wahlberg (Eds.), Research handbook on animal law and animal rights (pp. 2–14). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035324880.00007 

This article focuses on the impasse between dominant society and indigenous understandings of humans’ place in the world and places this impasse in the framework of anthropocentrism versus biocentrism. Indigenous approaches to the human‒animal relationship are fundamentally different in comparison with the normative and policy approaches of contemporary societies. Indigenous people regard animals as equal to humans, and in their biocentric worldview, respect for animals occupies a central place. In contrast, contemporary animal welfare legislation in the world is cementing the perception of a watershed between human and non-human animals. Yet, animal rights discourse in industrialised societies is increasingly moving closer to the indigenous perception, where ethical expectations are channelled into foundational legislative descriptive norms.

Susi, M.-A. (2025). Animal rights and indigenous traditions in the century of anthropocentrism. In T. Pietrzykowski & B. Wahlberg (Eds.), Research handbook on animal law and animal rights (pp. 391–408). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035324880.00029

The book is a collection of papers reflecting the state of the art of contemporary animal law and its relationship to the philosophical idea of animal rights. The chapters present the transdisciplinary influences on animal law, highlighting key scientific, ethical, economic, religious, and cultural contexts of the legal protection of animals. The collection outlines the emerging conceptual and regulatory framework of animal law as a jurisprudential discipline as well as the role of legal practice, strategic litigation, landmark cases, and advocacy in the global development of laws protecting animals. Addressing unresolved questions, the book emphasizes the need for the ongoing engagement of scholars and practitioners in the evolving dialogue crucial to fostering better, fairer, and more compassionate legal systems, legislation, and practice of law.

Pietrzykowski, T., & Wahlberg, B. (2025). Introduction: Animal law between jurisprudential discipline, moral imperative, and advocacy. In T. Pietrzykowski & B. Wahlberg (Eds.), Research handbook on animal law and animal rights (pp. xii–xiv). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035324880.fm5

A gradual shift from animal-based consumption toward more plant-based diets is crucial for public and planetary health. However, one practical barrier for this protein transition includes the (perceived) financial accessibility of plant-based alternatives, fueling policy debates around strategies such as animal-based taxes versus plant-based subsidies. We further explore this tension by examining whether consumers in a large multi-country sample can be reliably distinguished based on their relative willingness to pay (WTPΔ) for animal- versus plant-based products across meat and dairy categories. We subsequently profiled emergent segments on psychographic characteristics, such as their readiness to reduce animal-based consumption (i.e., behavior change stage). Participants from the USA (N = 1614), the UK (N = 1664), and the Netherlands (N = 1967) completed an online survey that measured their WTP for animal- and plant-based pairs of diverse frequently-consumed products. Segments were identified using a k-means algorithm on standardized WTPΔ scores across countries. Two clusters emerged: Animal-positive consumers (22.6%) had a higher relative valuation of animal-based products (MWTPΔ = 1.49, SD = 0.83), while plant-positive consumers (77.4%) reported a higher WTP for plant-based alternatives (MWTPΔ = -0.44, SD = 0.50). The animal-positive cluster expressed a lower behavior change stage, lower intention to consume plant-based alternatives, greater perceived barriers for reducing animal-based intake, and a larger representation of older, male, and rurally-situated consumers. While it remains to be empirically tested, our findings allude to the potential value of implementing both animal-based taxes and plant-based subsidies in a tailored manner aligned with cluster profiles.

Vries, R. de, Neufingerl, N., & Zandstra, E. H. (2025). Meat taxes or plant-based subsidies? A multi-country consumer segmentation and profiling on willingness to pay for animal- versus plant-based meat and dairy products. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5511590

It is rare to encounter such overwhelming support for anything, let alone a government policy. But our research has uncovered just that. The public agrees. Farmers agree. And animal advocates agree. Lower-welfare animal product imports have no place in the UK.

Bryant, C. (2025). Support surges for UK ban on low welfare imports. Bryant Research. https://bryantresearch.co.uk/insight-items/support-surges-for-uk-ban-on-low-welfare-imports/

Young people’s daily routines are especially malleable during significant life events, offering opportunities for pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) change. We investigated how PEBs shifted during two Moments of Change (MoCs), an exogenous disruption (COVID-19) and a biographical transition (starting university). We also looked at whether values and attitudes explained these shifts. We conducted two longitudinal studies with 16–24-year-olds. Study 1 (exogenous MoC) tracked behaviour across three waves during 2020 (n = 146) using multilevel latent growth models. Study 2 (biographical MoC) (n = 256) used paired-samples t-tests examining change across two time points, i.e., pre and post the start of university. Both studies used path-analytic structural equation models to test a values – attitudes – behaviour pathway and regressions to examine the self-activation hypothesis. In Study 1, we found positive changes to food waste and the consumption of animal products, and a negative change in environmental activism and active travel. In Study 2, we found positive changes in domestic PEBs, active travel, and the consumption of animal products, and negative changes in environmental activism and ethical consumption. Self-transcendence values positively predicted activism (Study 1) and domestic PEBs (Study 2) and related to lower animal-product consumption in both studies, while environmental attitudes mediated the link between self-transcendence and consumption only in Study 2. These findings suggest that targeted interventions timed to MoCs can leverage values and attitudes to support lower-impact diets and home practices. Structurally constrained domains (e.g., activism opportunities, infrastructure-dependent travel) may require contextual changes in tandem with MoCs to yield benefits to PEBs. Our study is one of the first to look at COVID-19 as a MoC and one of the first to examine the transition from school to university and its effects on multiple PEBs. Some limitations include reliance on self-report measures with retrospective baselines and short follow-up periods.

Mitev, K., Whitmarsh, L., Gattis, M., & Nash, N. (2025). Shifting horizons: Significant life events and pro-environmental behaviour change in early adulthood. PLOS Climate, 4(10), e0000709. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000709

While classical models of social-movement research focus on protests and collective events, recent work has shifted toward an individualized approach to collective action within political participation and activism. Drawing on 73 in-depth qualitative interviews with 40 young vegans in Santiago, Chile, we examine how participants themselves define and enact vegan activism in everyday life. Our results reveal that veganism transcends dietary choice, encompassing professional engagement, online content creation, and even cooking and commensality as deliberate activist practices. These lifestyle-based practices coexist with organized collective actions—like marches and NGO initiatives—to forge a hybrid model of political participation blending individual agency and collective coordination. By integrating these findings into existing theories of lifestyle political activism, we offer a more nuanced framework for understanding political participation. First, we reconceptualize vegan activism as simultaneously a lifestyle movement and a social movement. Second, we introduce a typology that classifies activist actions and practices along the axes of individual versus collective action and interpersonal versus public impact. Third, we uncover underexplored domains—culinary-based actions and professional engagement—that extend current theories of everyday political activism. These findings not only advance theory but also offer practical insights for vegan and environmental activists—such as food-based interventions and digital outreach strategies—to enhance the impact and reach of their practices. By foregrounding activists’ own definitions and experiences in a Global South context, this study demonstrates the value of situated analyses for reconceptualizing political participation and broadening core theoretical frameworks.

Torres, R., Joustra, C., Figueroa, J., & Giacoman, C. (2025). Social change as a lifestyle: Identifying actions and practices of vegan activism among young adults. Frontiers in Political Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2025.1477573

Veganism is a sociocultural-identity, ethical-political, and spatial movement that confronts structural speciesism and the colonial continuities of the Plantationocene. Being vegan goes beyond renouncing what one eats or wears; it is a coherent and conscious choice about how one lives and with whom one chooses to share the world. This phenomenon is understood through a theoretical-conceptual anthropological approach, which examines three planes of spatialization: everyday practices that reorganize lived space and consumption circuits; intentional actions, such as occupations and activism, that establish zones of contestation; and digital territorialities that dispute narratives and reconfigure symbolic space. The articulation of these planes produces vegan places, non-places of animal exploitation, Foucault’s heterotopias, and Bey’s Temporary Autonomous Zones, connected by counter-cartographies that reveal human peripheries and spaces of animal exploitation. The synthesis of Harvey and Lefebvre’s spatial theories demonstrates that such zones reterritorialize flows of food, labor, and affection, expanding socio-environmental and interspecies justice. Four ethical axes are proposed: justice for sentient beings; rejection of animal exploitation; recognition of ecological interdependence; and moralization of consumption and habitus. The conclusion is that veganism acts as a transformative cultural force, reorganizing sociocultural and spatial dynamics and inspiring new ethnographic investigations into the impacts of different spatialization plans on the local economy and sociability.

Franco, A. G. (2025). What is veganism? Sociocultural resistance to structural speciesism and spatial reconfiguration. Editora Impacto Científico. https://periodicos.newsciencepubl.com/editoraimpacto/article/view/8361