Framing the meat consumption transition: A statistical learning approach to explore the factors shaping young adults' food choices in Germany and Italy
IF 7.1 1区 农林科学Q1 Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Massimo Peri , Maria Teresa Trentinaglia , Maximilian Adler , Anna Maria Zanaboni , Lucia Baldi
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study examines the factors driving changes in meat consumption among young adults in Germany and Italy—two high-income countries that, despite their distinct culinary traditions, have seen a convergence in meat consumption levels in recent years. The research addresses two aims: to examine the role of environmental attitudes in shaping dietary choices and to explore the impact of socio-demographic factors on meat-consumption patterns. The analysis employs the General Ecological Behavior (GEB) scale, a robust tool that provides a comprehensive assessment of pro-environmental attitudes as latent traits influencing behavior. It is complemented by the Random Forest, a machine learning algorithm that helps exploring complex, non-linear relationships among predictors. Data were collected from 580 respondents aged 18–30 through an online survey. The results reveal that environmental attitude is the strongest predictor of dietary habits, followed by household composition. German respondents, with higher environmental attitudes, were more likely to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets, whereas Italian respondents, influenced also by family dynamics, tended towards meat-based or flexitarian diets. These findings highlight the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying motivations behind the transition to a flexitarian diet, which could serve as a model for the future of meat consumption in Europe.
期刊介绍:
The aim of Meat Science is to serve as a suitable platform for the dissemination of interdisciplinary and international knowledge on all factors influencing the properties of meat. While the journal primarily focuses on the flesh of mammals, contributions related to poultry will be considered if they enhance the overall understanding of the relationship between muscle nature and meat quality post mortem. Additionally, papers on large birds (e.g., emus, ostriches) as well as wild-captured mammals and crocodiles will be welcomed.