Can Brief Psychosocial Interventions Increase Alternative Protein Intake? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.
1
Center for Applied Research on Health Behavior and Health, SWPS University, Wrocław, Poland
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A391
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Alternative protein foods (APFs), derived from insects, krill, fungi, or plants, have a lower environmental impact than conventional protein sources (e.g., meat and dairy). Changing the protein sources in daily diet would reduce water, energy and land use. Compared to traditional proteins, APF also offer similar or superior nutritional value. This study examined whether a brief intervention targeting (i) familiarity with APFs through tasting products based on algae, crickets, and chickpeas, and (ii) perceived availability of APFs by increasing knowledge about local purchasing options, would increase APF intake.
METHODS:
Adult participants (N=398; aged 18–85 years; 34.1% men) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving the tasting and availability intervention (n=204) or a waitlist control group (n=194). At baseline and one-month follow-up, participants completed questionnaires assessing self-reported APFs intake and psychosocial and environmental determinants of consumption. The primary outcome was frequency of APFs intake. Data were collected in Poland.
RESULTS:
A significant TimexGroup interaction was found for the intake of snacks containing insect-based proteins, fungi, algae, and other microorganism-based APFs. Compared to the waitlist control group, participants in the intervention group increased their intake, with a medium effect size (d = 0.51). No significant Time×Group interaction was observed for plant-based proteins, including plant-based snacks and meat substitutes such as sausages and burgers. No main effects of time were detected, indicating that the results were not attributable to a mere measurement effect.
CONCLUSIONS:
Brief interventions that enhance experiential familiarity and perceived availability may effectively increase consumption of AFP-based snacks that are genuinely novel or exotic for European consumers (e.g., insects), but not plant-based alternatives. Future research should replicate these findings across diverse populations and contexts, investigate potential moderators such as baseline familiarity and perceived availability, and assess the long-term durability of intervention effects.
Alternative protein foods (APFs), derived from insects, krill, fungi, or plants, have a lower environmental impact than conventional protein sources (e.g., meat and dairy). Changing the protein sources in daily diet would reduce water, energy and land use. Compared to traditional proteins, APF also offer similar or superior nutritional value. This study examined whether a brief intervention targeting (i) familiarity with APFs through tasting products based on algae, crickets, and chickpeas, and (ii) perceived availability of APFs by increasing knowledge about local purchasing options, would increase APF intake.
METHODS:
Adult participants (N=398; aged 18–85 years; 34.1% men) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving the tasting and availability intervention (n=204) or a waitlist control group (n=194). At baseline and one-month follow-up, participants completed questionnaires assessing self-reported APFs intake and psychosocial and environmental determinants of consumption. The primary outcome was frequency of APFs intake. Data were collected in Poland.
RESULTS:
A significant TimexGroup interaction was found for the intake of snacks containing insect-based proteins, fungi, algae, and other microorganism-based APFs. Compared to the waitlist control group, participants in the intervention group increased their intake, with a medium effect size (d = 0.51). No significant Time×Group interaction was observed for plant-based proteins, including plant-based snacks and meat substitutes such as sausages and burgers. No main effects of time were detected, indicating that the results were not attributable to a mere measurement effect.
CONCLUSIONS:
Brief interventions that enhance experiential familiarity and perceived availability may effectively increase consumption of AFP-based snacks that are genuinely novel or exotic for European consumers (e.g., insects), but not plant-based alternatives. Future research should replicate these findings across diverse populations and contexts, investigate potential moderators such as baseline familiarity and perceived availability, and assess the long-term durability of intervention effects.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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