Healthy sustainable diets have the power to improve dietary intakes and environmental resource use. However, recommendations for improving food choices need to consider the effects of any changes across multiple dimensions of health, environmental sustainability, and dietary cost to promote long-lasting behaviour change. The aim of this study was to identify differences between original diets, and the diets that can be achieved through the implementation of select small dietary changes towards sustainability. Twelve hypothetical sustainable actions were investigated for the potential effects of these actions on dietary markers (protein, saturated fat, sugars, salt, iron, and calcium), environmental footprints (greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater withdrawals, and land use), and dietary cost. Dietary data from 1235 individuals, aged 19-94 years, participating in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2017/19) provided the original diet. Dietary changes were implemented as required by each sustainable action, and differences between the original diet and each new diet were investigated. Results revealed benefits to dietary markers and environmental characteristics from eleven sustainable actions (range: F(1,728) = 5.80, p < .001 to F(1,506) = 435.04, p < .001), but effects were stronger for some actions than for others. Greatest benefits for all three outcomes were found for actions which reduced meat consumption and/or replaced meat with pulses or eggs. The remaining sustainable actions tended to be beneficial for improving outcomes individually or to some degree. Our results demonstrate the possible impacts of a number of small sustainable dietary actions for dietary, environmental, and cost outcomes, and provide a hierarchy of actions based on benefit. Findings may facilitate dietary behaviours towards improved health, whilst also offering fruitful contributions towards environmental footprint targets in the UK.

Purpose: Consumption norms describe an individual’s perception of what or how much most other people typically eat. While gendered consumption norms are well known, consumption norms linked to other demographic variables are yet to be reported. This study aimed to investigate which food consumption norms in relation to gender, age and income are currently held by the UK population. A secondary research objective was to investigate whether these consumption norms were held equally across people in different age groups and genders within the sample population.Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 498 adults participated in an online survey composed of statements on consumption patterns based on gender, age and income for nine foods (e.g. red meat) and five meal patterns (e.g. take-away meals). E.g. “Men tend to eat more red meat than women.” Participants reported their agreement/disagreement with these statements.Findings: The results indicate that participants have perceived consumption norms that are associated with gender, age and income. Lower energy-dense foods and smaller meal patterns were generally associated with females, older persons and individuals with a higher income. In contrast, more energy-dense foods and meal patterns were generally associated with males, younger adults and individuals with a lower income. These consumption norms were held consistently across the population sample.Originality/value: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first explicit demonstration of food consumption norms based on age and income.

Public health agencies currently recommend reducing free sugar intakes for health benefit. The role for sweet taste in reducing free sugar intakes, however, is controversial. Prior to undertaking a larger trial to investigate likely benefits or detriments to consuming sweet taste while aiming to reduce free sugar intakes, this pilot study tested all methods and processes. Using a randomised controlled trial design, 72 adults (52 female, mean ( sd ) age: 42·3 (14·4) years, mean ( sd ) BMI: 27·2 (5·1) kg/m ² ) were asked to reduce their free sugar intakes by substituting usual high-free-sugar foods/beverages with low-free-sugar foods/beverages with: (1) a sweet taste (Group Sweet Taste , N 24); (2) a non-sweet taste (Group Taste, N 24); or (3) no/neutral taste (Group No Taste, N 24). Interventions were given at a single timepoint via an information booklet. Effects were assessed on free sugar intakes, dietary, anthropometric, taste-based, and attitudinal outcomes and participant perceptions, over the following 4 (and 12) weeks. Free sugar intakes, as a percentage of total energy intake (%TEI), reduced by 2·6–3·6 %TEI in all three groups, with changes also reported in other dietary, taste-based and attitudinal outcomes. Differing advantages and disadvantages to the information provided were also offered by participants. Our findings demonstrate benefit from dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes, but further work is needed to investigate the advice provided to aid with this, in larger samples and over longer time frames. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05684757, date: 03.01.2023.

Background/Objectives: Sustainable diets are essential for public health, food system resilience, and environmental protection, yet engagement with healthy sustainable dietary actions is varied. This study investigated knowledge, perceived importance, current uptake, and willingness to adopt healthy sustainable dietary actions among the general UK population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-report questionnaire completed by 635 adults (205 males and 430 females; mean (SD) age = 43 (16.8) years) in the UK. Results: Considerable variation in knowledge, perceived importance, and current engagement was found across the dietary actions investigated. All three were highest for familiar, health-aligned behaviours, while actions with a stronger environmental focus that were less conventional or culturally unfamiliar were less well understood, perceived as less important, and less often engaged with. Willingness to adopt actions not currently practised was most strongly predicted by perceived importance (smallest β = 1.21, p < 0.001), with perceived value also significant for several actions (smallest β = 0.86, p < 0.001). Knowledge and perceived impact were generally non-significant. Demographic and lifestyle factors showed smaller effects, with greater willingness among younger individuals (smallest β = −0.24, p = 0.01) and those with higher education (smallest β = 0.51, p = 0.01). Conclusions: These findings suggest some knowledge and engagement with healthy sustainable dietary actions in the UK. However, future campaigns may need to go beyond awareness-raising to emphasise the personal significance and value of these actions. These cognitive factors also showed broad applicability across demographic and lifestyle variables, suggesting potential for widely effective interventions.