Dietary changes among people practicing Meatless Monday: A cross-sectional study

High meat consumption negatively impacts human and planetary health. Meatless Monday (MM) is a widely known public health initiative that promotes healthy and sustainable diets by encouraging people to eliminate meat for one day each week.

This study investigated whether exposure to MM, through practicing MM and receiving the MM e-newsletter, is associated with reduced meat intake on days other than Mondays.

This cross-sectional study analyzed survey responses from MM e-newsletter subscribers (n = 1172). Using logistic regression analysis, we investigated the relationship between practicing MM and additional changes in meat intake, including eliminating meat on more than one day per week, eliminating meat entirely, and incorporating more meatless recipes at home and when eating out. We also examined the relationship between the duration of time receiving the MM e-newsletter and meat consumption.

Participants who reported practicing MM were 15 times more likely to eliminate meat more than one day per week compared to non-practicers (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 15.1, 95CI 6.4 to 36.0, p < 0.001), three times more likely to eliminate meat entirely (aOR = 2.8, 95CI 1.3 to 6.0, p = 0.009), five times more likely to incorporate more meatless recipes at home (aOR = 4.9, 95CI 1.2 to 19.3, p = 0.024), and three times more likely to order more meatless meals when eating out (aOR = 3.1, 95CI 1.4 to 6.8, p = 0.007), respectively. Furthermore, participants who subscribed to the MM e-newsletter for longer were significantly more likely to eliminate meat more than one day per week or from their diet entirely.

MM could be used as part of a multi-pronged strategy to promote healthy and sustainable diets, offering a small-step approach that may lead to beneficial dietary changes for both people and the planet.