A new survey taken by YouGov on behalf of the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) reveals that 61% of British people say they are unlikely to follow a plant-based diet in the new year, with those aged between 45–54 least likely to do so (66%). The research shows that the most probable age groups to follow a plant-based diet in the new year are 25–35 and over 55, with nearly a quarter of respondents from each age group likely or very likely to do so.
Most of the respondents believe that a plant-based diet means cutting out meat and sometimes dairy completely, with 41%saying that a plant-based diet means following a vegan diet. Meanwhile, 10% say they do not know what a plant-based diet is at all.
“Most organizations, including BNF, define ‘plant-based diets’ as those mostly based on foods derived from plants, such as grains, vegetables, fruit, pulses, and nuts, but that can also include a smaller proportion of animal-derived foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and milk. This is the type of diet depicted in the Government’s healthy eating model, the Eatwell Guide, in which over two-thirds of the foods illustrated are derived from plants. However, most people in our survey thought it meant being vegetarian or vegan, with only 10 percent equating plant-based with a ‘flexitarian’ approach or a diet that provides a diversity of different protein sources,” Sara Stanner, the BNF’s Science director said.